The purpose of this study was to obtain precise information about the state of the physically disabled and the attitude of the physically disabled themselves, their families and nondisabled members of their rural community about their disability and rehabilitation, in order to provide basic data for planning and evaluating the Community-Based Rehabilitation Project for this community.

Those enlisted in this survey involved 672 households which were 5% of the total households in North Wanju County. From August 8∼12, 1988, 2,719 persons were investigated. The results were as reported.

The prevalence of all the disabled was 2.83% of the population; the prevalence of physically disabled persons was 2.06%. Of all the disabled, 72.7% were physically disabled.

The male: female ratio was 1.4：1. Of the physically disabled 39.3% were in their sixties and 67% were older than fifty.

Strokes among the physically disabled represented the most frequent diagnosis of the disabled while joint contracture and ampuation took second and third place.

The most common age for occurance of a physical disability was during the sixties and this group represented 25% of all disabilities. The second most frequent period was from age 0∼10 which occupied 23.3% of all disabilities. Postnatal disabilities were the cause of 92.9% of all physical disabilities.

More than two-thirds of the physically disabled detected did have a history of medical examination or treatment. A hospital or private clinic was the most frequent place for receiving medical care. Only 14.3% of the physically disabled received physical therapy.

Twenty-seven percent of the physically disabled were dependent in their activities required for daily living. Thirty-nine percent used braces or prostheses. The most frequent desire of these persons for their rehabilitation was medical treatment.

There was a much higher incidence of illiteracy and unemployment among the physically disabled and a higher proportion of their families received medicaid and low incomes than the Nondisabled families.

All of the physically disabled, along with their families and nondisabled residents of their communities, had a relatively higer level of concern for the disabled and a better acceptance of the rehabilitation facilities, as well as a healthy view point about the social life of the disabled.

There was a relatively low level of preception of rehabilitation terminology among all of the people who were investigated. They had a somewhat passive attitude toward rehabilitative care and the socialization of the disabled.

In contrast, the nondisabled residents held a critical view point toward the status of the disabled person's social welfare. The educational level of the residents was reflected in their perception and attitude toward the disabled and their rehabilitation.