Objective
To survey the utilization status of public health and medical rehabilitation services by the persons with disabilities in community.Method: The subjects were 118 patients who were admitted to National Rehabilitation Center from January 1998 to December 2001 and agreed with home-visit. The subjects were assessed of disability level with functional scales, utilization rate of public health and medical rehabilitation services, utilization facilities, and service contents. Results: The subjects included 78 pesons with stroke, 20 persons with spinal cord injury, 9 pesons with traumatic brain injury, and 11 persons with other diseases. Only 28.0% of the low-functional group used public health andmedical rehabilitation services, showing a low utilization rate than the high-functional group (43.2%). 17 out of 24 persons who used rehabilitation clinics were in the low-functional group and 9 out of 13 persons who used welfare agency were in the high-functional group (p=0.012). In two groups, most frequent utilization out of the service contents was the exercise therapy.Conclusion: The utilization rate of public health and medical rehabilitation services in communities was 32.8%. It is necessary to supply the persons with disabilities in community with the rehabilitation service for the continuum of rehabilitation. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2004; 28: 175- 181)

Recently the numbers of persons with disabilities and aged are rapidly increasing every year. And the scope of persons with disabilities is much more diversified. According to the recent report of the desire for the persons with disabilities, it is noted that medical rehabilitation service is most insufficient. But compared to the numbers and needs of persons with disabilities, the numbers of medical rehabilitation facilities are still much insufficient. The important factors to be considered in rehabilitation hospital are accessibility, comprehensiveness, quality, continuity and efficiency. In Korea, the current conditions of medical rehabilitation service are as follows: 1) increase of medical rehabilitation demand, 2) shortage of rehabilitation hospital beds, 3) insufficient medical rehabilitation insurance system, 4) absence of continuum care, 5) accessibility problem etc. Considering these aspects, the government is planning to build the regional rehabilitation center each district and meet the need for persons with disabilities by the second five-year plan of the welfare for persons with disabilities. Finally I suggest some a plans to establish medical service provision system for the disabled. First of all, regional rehabilitation center should be established in each province, so as to provide better and comprehensive medical services to the disabled. Second, medical services in public and private health sector should be expanded. Third, the need for the community rehabilitation committee that links the hospital and the community should be emphasized. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2004; 28: 1-6)