The Outcomes and Impact of a Post-Earthquake Rehabilitation Program in China

Abstract

This study evaluated the outcomes and impact of a post-earthquake rehabilitation program in Sichuan, China. A case-study approach was adopted to conduct an in-depth examination of the program. The results show that the program effectively enhanced the functional outcomes of earthquake survivors. However, the empowerment of earthquake survivors with disabilities requires further consideration, and the local community’s ownership of the program must also be addressed. A combination of institution- and community-based approaches was advocated in developing the post-earthquake rehabilitation program to enhance its impact on the local community.

Keywords

qualitative rehabilitation community-based programs program evaluation case study China

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Arriens

W. T. L.

Benson

(1999, February). Post-disaster rehabilitation: The experience of the Asian development bank. Paper presented at the IDNDR-ESCAP Regional Meeting for Asia: Risk Reduction and Society in the 21st Century, Bangkok, Thailand.

Cardol

De Jong

B. A.

Ward

C. D.

(2002). On autonomy and participation in rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation, 24, 970–974. Retrieved from http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/09638280210151996

Chung

E. Y.-h.

(2009). Development of a validated framework to describe and evaluate community-based rehabilitation practice in Chinese communities (Doctoral thesis). Curtin University of Technology, Perth.

Chung

E. Y.-h

Packer

T. L.

Yau

(2011). A framework for evaluating community-based rehabilitation programmes in Chinese communities. Disability and Rehabilitation, 33, 1668–1682.

Creswell

J. W.

(2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.). Los Angeles: Sage.

Crishna

(2007). Participatory evaluation (I)—Sharing lessons from fieldwork in Asia. Child: Care, Health and Development, 33, 217–223. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=c8h&AN=2009563713&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Davies

Dart

(2005). The “most significant change” (MSC) technique: A guide to its use. Retrieved from http://www.mande.co.uk/docs/MSCGuide.pdf

Dooley

L. M.

(2002). Case study research and theory building. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 4, 335–354. doi:10.1177/1523422302043007

Eide

A. H.

(2006). Impact of community-based rehabilitation programmes: The case of Palestine. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 8, 199–210. Retrieved from http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/15017410500466750

10.

Eisenhardt

K. M.

(1989). Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review, 14, 532–550. doi:10.5465/AMR.1989.4308385

11.

Flower

Wirz

(2000). Rhetoric or reality? The participation of disabled people in NGO planning. Health Policy Plan, 15, 177–185. doi:10.1093/heapol/15.2.177

12.

Gable

G. G.

(1994). Integrating case study and survey research methods: An example in information systems. European Journal of Information Systems, 3, 112–126.

13.

Gosney

Reinhardt

J. D.

Haig

A. J.

(2011). Developing post-disaster physical rehabilitation: Role of the World Health Organization Liaison Sub-Committee on Rehabilitation Disaster Relief of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 43, 965–968. doi:10.2340/16501977-0890

14.

Grandisson

Thibeault

Hébert

Templeton

(2014). Community-based rehabilitation programme evaluations: Lessons learned in the field. Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development, 25(1), Article 17. doi:10.5463/dcid.v1i1.240

15.

Hai

T. T.

Van Chuong

(1999). Vietnam and activities of community-based rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation, 21, 474–478. Retrieved from http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/096382899297279

16.

Hatry

H. P.

(1996). Measuring program outcomes: A practical approach: United Way of America.

17.

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. (2008, April 25). Internal audit manual (Version 1.0). Retrieved from https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-INTER-HQ/STAGING/texte-text/au_iam_1327440714146_eng.pdf

18.

International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. (2009). ISA 500 audit evidence. Retrieved from http://www.ifac.org/system/files/downloads/a022-2010-iaasb-handbook-isa-500.pdf

19.

Kendall

Buys

Larner

(2000). Community-based service delivery in rehabilitation: The promise and the paradox. Disability and Rehabilitation, 22, 435–445. doi:10.1080/09638280050045901

20.

Kreimer

Echeverria

Preece

(1990). Case study: reconstruction after North China’s earthquake. In Managing Natural Disasters and the Environment. Washington, DC, The World Bank.

21.

Kuipers

Mongkolsrisawat

Weawsorn

Marungsit

(2003). Categorising CBR service delivery: The roi-et classification. Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, 14, 128–146.

22.

Landry

M. D.

(2010). Physical therapists in post-earthquake Haiti: Seeking a balance between humanitarian service and research. Physical Therapy, 90, 974–976. doi:10.2522/ptj.2010.90.7.974

23.

Landry

M. D.

Quigley

Nakhle

Nixon

S. A.

(2010). Implications of a gap between demand and supply for rehabilitation in post-earthquake Haiti. Physiotherapy Research International, 15, 123–125. doi:10.1002/pri.488

24.

Landry

M. D.

Singh

C. S.

Carnie

Stephenson

Hill

(2010). Spinal cord injury rehabilitation in post-earthquake Haiti: The critical role for non-governmental organisations. Physiotherapy, 96, 267–268. doi:10.1016/j.physio.2010.09.006

25.

Lee

H. C.

(2014). The role of occupational therapy in the recovery stage of disaster relief: A report from earthquake stricken areas in China. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 61, 28–31. doi:10.1111/1440-1630.12106

26.

Reinhardt

J. D.

Gosney

J. E.

Zhang

Chen

. . . Li

(2012). Evaluation of functional outcomes of physical rehabilitation and medical complications in spinal cord injury victims of the Sichuan earthquake. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 44, 534–540. doi:10.2340/16501977-1005

27.

Liu

Khozuki

Hamamura

Ishikawa

Saitoh

Kurihara

. . . Matsuzaka

(2012). How did rehabilitation professionals act when faced with the great east Japan earthquake and disaster? Descriptive epidemiology of disability and an interim report of the relief activities of the ten rehabilitation-related organizations. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine/Stiftelsen Rehabiliteringsinformation, 44, 421–428. doi:10.2340/16501977-0957

28.

Mallick

Aurakzai

J. K.

Bile

K. M.

Ahmed

(2010). Large-scale physical disabilities and their management in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal = La Revue De Santé De La Méditerranée Orientale = Al-Majallah Al-S.ih.h.īyah Li-Sharq Al-Mutawassit., 16(Suppl.), S98–S105. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=21495595&site=ehost-live&scope=site

29.

Norris

F. H.

Stevens

S. P.

Pfefferbaum

Wyche

K. F.

Pfefferbaum

R. L.

(2008). Community resilience as a metaphor, theory, set of capacities, and strategy for disaster readiness. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41, 127–150. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=18157631&site=ehost-live&scope=site

30.

Public Service Commission of Canada. (2005). Audit manual. Retrieved from http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2011/cfp-psc/SC3-112-2005-eng.pdf

31.

Redmond

A. D.

Mardel

Taithe

Calvot

Gosney

Duttine

Girois

(2011). A qualitative and quantitative study of the surgical and rehabilitation response to the earthquake in Haiti, January 2010. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 26, 449–456.

32.

Reinelt

Foster

Sullivan

(2002). Evaluating outcomes and impacts: A scan of 55 leadership development programs. Battle Creek, MI: W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

33.

Reinhardt

J. D.

Gosney

Rathore

F. A.

Haig

A. J.

Marx

, . . . International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine’s Sub-Committee on Rehabilitation Disaster Relief. (2011). Disability and health-related rehabilitation in international disaster relief. Global Health Action, 4, Article 7191. doi:10.3402/gha.v4i0.7191

34.

Salminen

Toini

Lautamo

(2006). Conducting case study research in occupational therapy. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 53, 3–8. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1630.2006.00540.x

35.

San

(2005, July). Community based work with people with disabilities in Cambodia. Paper presented at the Workshop on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and Poverty Alleviation of Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, Thailand.

36.

Serrat

(2009). The most significant change technique. Retrieved from http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/27613/most-significant-change.pdf

37.

Shang

(2005, July). Policies and initiatives for poverty alleviation for persons with disability in China. Paper presented at the Workshop on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and Poverty Alleviation of Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, Thailand.

38.

Sharma

(2004). Viable methods for evaluation of community-based rehabilitation programmes. Disability and Rehabilitation, 26, 326–334. doi:10.1080/09638280410001662923

39.

Shaw

Gupta

Sarma

(2003). Community recovery and its sustainability: Lessons from Gujarat earthquake of India. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 18, 28-34.

40.

Sun

(2011, June). Rehabilitation disaster relief: Value of a regional large rehabilitation institution after the Sichuan earthquake. Paper presented at the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) Symposium on Rehabilitation Disaster Relief; ISPRM 6th World Congress, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

41.

Tatsuki

(2007). Long-term life recovery processes among survivors of the 1995 Kobe earthquake: 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005 life recovery social survey results. Journal of Disaster Research, 2, 485–501.

42.

Thomas

M. J.

(2002). A discussion on some controversies in community-based rehabilitation. Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, 13, 1–6.

43.

Thomas

M. J.

(2005, July). Self-help groups as a tool for economic empowerment of persons with disability. Paper presented at the Workshop on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and Poverty Alleviation of Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, Thailand.

44.

Turmusani

Vreede

Wirz

S. L.

(2002). Some ethical issues in community-based rehabilitation initiatives in developing countries. Disability and Rehabilitation, 24, 558–564. Retrieved from http://www.informaworld.com/10.1080/09638280110113449

45.

Wirz

Thomas

(2002). Evaluation of community-based rehabilitation programmes: A search for appropriate indicators. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 25, 163–171.

46.

World Health Organization. (2006). Report of the 4th Meeting on development of CBR guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/disabilities/030507_CBR_guideline_3rd_meeting_report.pdf

47.

World Health Organization. (2010). Community-based rehabilitation—CBR guidelines. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

48.

World Health Organization. (2013). Evaluation practice handbook. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

49.

Yin

R. K.

(2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.): Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.