TITLE:
Physical Accessibility for Disabled People: Analysis of Toilet Facilities in Primary Health Care Units
AUTHORS:
Aline Cruz Esmeraldo Áfio, Luciana Vieira de Carvalho, Juliana Freitas Marques, Paula Marciana Pinheiro de Oliveira, Paulo Cesar de Almeida, Lorita Marlena Freitag Pagliuca
KEYWORDS:
Health Services Accessibility, Disabled Persons, Toilet Facilities
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.6 No.11,
November
24,
2016
ABSTRACT: Background: Accessibility enables the effective participation of disabled persons in public and private areas and the use of urban equipment and street furniture. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the physical accessibility of toilet facilities in urban and rural primary health care units. Methods: It was a quantitative descriptive study conducted in 157 Primary Health Care Units of 16 municipalities in the Baturité Massif region, Ceará, Brazil. The study took place from August 2014 to May 2015, with a checklist type form, designed from the Technical Standard 9050 of the Brazilian National Standards Organization, specifying the ideal access conditions established by law to allow mobility of persons with physical disabilities. Data were processed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software and organized into tables. Results: Toilets designed for physically disabled people were accessible as the location and signs (59.9%), identified with symbols for males and females (57.3%); however, the doorway width was smaller than needed to accommodate a wheelchair (77.7%). Inside the bathroom, only the forward approach was possible (59.9%). Grab bars positioned on the side and rear walls were inadequate or nonexistent (67.6%); toilet seats (91.1%) and toilet paper dispensers (96.2%) were mostly in inaccessible heights; flush controls in appropriate height (59.2%) and activated by light pressure (58%). Sinks without pedestal (51%), but higher than recommended (80.3%) and without single handle faucets (95.6%). It was verified that the toilets of basic health units located in urban areas had better accessibility conditions compared to those in rural areas. Conclusion: Results showed that the analyzed units presented physical inaccessibility in some toilet facilities, making it difficult or even impossible the accessibility for the disabled. The inclusion of accessibility features in health services for this clientele provides equal opportunities and social inclusion.