Disability prevalence data are important to improve efforts to remove or minimize disabling barriers and
provide services to allow people with disabilities to take part in community life. There is however a lack of
reliable data on disability in the districts of Rwanda.
This study aims to describe the profile of disability in terms of prevalence, age, gender distribution as well
as activity limitation in Rwanda.
A door-to-door survey was conducted in all the households in villages from three districts selected through
a multi-stage sampling procedure. Identified persons were assessed for activity limitations using instruments
developed from domains in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Data
were analysed descriptively and presented by district, age, gender, and activity limitation.
Disability prevalence rates of 10.1% (Ruhango), 9.1% (Kayonza), and 6.0% (Nyagatare) were obtained.
An overall average prevalence of disability in the three districts was 8.3%. The prevalence of disability was
higher in adults than in children in all the three districts with Ruhango having 13.6% vs 7.0%; Kayonza,12.4%
vs 6.4%; and Nyagatare, 8.9% vs 2.8%. The main activity limitations experienced by children with disability
were sitting, seeing, and crawling, while adults with disabilities had difficulties mainly in seeing and walking.
Persons identified with disability in this study from three districts in Rwanda have various activity
limitations. The findings provide a useful resource for planning rehabilitation services and to direct future
enquiry into the epidemiology of disability in other districts of Rwanda.