Unmet Need for Disability-Related Services Among Children with Disabilities in Xiengkhouang Province, Lao PDR: A Cross-Sectional Study

VARIABLE	ALL		GIRLS		BOYS
VARIABLE	N	PERCENT	N	PERCENT	N	PERCENT
Total	405	100%	168	42%	237	59%
District
Pek	73	18%	26	16%	47	20%
Khoun	109	27%	48	29%	61	26%
Phoukoud	67	17%	30	18%	37	16%
Nonghed	106	26%	45	27%	61	26%
Kham	50	12%	19	11%	31	13%
Age
0–6	72	18%	30	18%	42	18%
6–12	148	37%	59	35%	89	38%
12–18	185	46%	79	47%	106	45%
Disability type
Physical	148	37%	65	39%	83	35%
Sensory	54	13%	22	13%	32	14%
Cognitive/learning	54	13%	13	8%	41	17%^*
Speech	40	10%	16	10%	24	10%
Multiple/other	116	29%	52	31%	57	24%
Ethnicity
Lao Tai	191	47%	76	45%	115	49%
Hmong/Lu Mien	184	45%	79	47%	105	44%
Other	30	7%	13	8%	17	7%
In school (age 6+)
Yes	182	55%	74	54%	108	55%
No	151	45%	64	46%	87	45%

[i] *Significant difference (p < 0.05).

NB: Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.

Table 2

Proportion of caregivers with perceived knowledge across different domains.

DOMAIN OF PERCEIVED KNOWLEDGE	FREQUENCY	PERCENT
Child’s healthcare needs	197	49%
Child’s assistive technology needs	181	45%
Child’s daily support needs	357	88%
Child’s school needs (for children in school)	90	56%

Table 3

Unmet needs for disability-related supports (n = 405).

	EXPRESSED NEEDS	DID NOT ACCESS¹	UNSATISFIED²	UNMET NEED¹
Healthcare	378 (93%)	146 (39%)	67 (29%)	213 (56%)
Assistive technology	305 (75%)	216 (71%)	18 (20%)	234 (77%)
Daily assistance	260 (64%)	121 (45%)	29 (21%)	150 (58%)
School support³	88 (54%)	29 (33%)	7 (12%)	36 (41%)

[i] ¹Among those needing service, ²Among those who accessed, ³Among children in school (n = 182).

Table 4

Predictors of unmet need for disability-related supports.

	HEALTHCARE		ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY		DAILY ASSISTANCE
	%	aRR (95% CI)	%	aRR (95% CI)	%	aRR (95% CI)
Child sex
Male	59	Ref	77	Ref	57	Ref
Female	53	0.9 (0.8–1.1)	76	1.0 (0.9–1.1)	58	1.0 (0.8–1.2)
Child age
0–6	54	Ref	81	Ref	59	Ref
6–12	54	1.0 (0.8–1.2)	75	0.9 (0.8–1.1)	60	1.1 (0.8–1.4)
12–18	59	1.1 (0.8–1.3)	76	0.9 (0.8–1.1)	54	1.0 (0.8–1.3)
Child disability type
Physical	54	Ref	75	Ref	58	Ref
Sensory	60	1.2 (0.9–1.5)	76	1.0 (0.8–1.2)	45	0.8 (0.5–1.3)
Cognitive/learning	69	1.2 (1.0–1.6)	88	1.1 (0.9–1.3)	55	0.9 (0.7–1.3)
Speech	54	1.1 (0.8–1.5)	67	0.9 (0.7–1.2)	39	0.8 (0.4–1.4)
Multiple/other	52	1.0 (0.8–1.2)	79	1.0 (0.9–1.2)	66	1.1 (0.9–1.4)
Ethnicity
Lao Tai	56	Ref	79	Ref	59	Ref
Hmong/Lu Mien	53	0.9 (0.8–1.1)	73	0.9 (0.8–1.0)	56	0.8 (0.7–1.1)
Others	83	1.3 (1.1–1.7)*	92	1.1 (0.9–1.4)	65	1.0 (0.7–1.6)
Relative wealth
Top 60%	47	Ref	69	Ref	50	Ref
Bottom 40%	70	1.4 (1.2–1.7)*	87	1.2 (1.1–1.4)*	68	1.4 (1.1–1.7)*
Caregiver¹ sex
Male	61	Ref	80	Ref	64	Ref
Female	52	0.9 (0.7–1.0)	73	0.9 (0.8–1.0)	50	0.8 (0.6–1.0)*
Caregiver perceived knowledge
Limited	69	Ref	92	Ref	66	Ref
Good	43	0.7 (0.6–0.9)*	61	0.7 (0.6–0.8)*	48	0.7 (0.5–0.9)*
District
Pek	51	Ref	74	Ref	56	Ref
Khoun	44	0.8 (0.6–1.1)	76	0.9 (0.8–1.1)	52	0.8 (0.6–1.2)
Phoukoud	53	1.0 (0.7–1.3)	68	0.8 (0.6–1.0)*	55	0.9 (0.6–1.2)
Nonghed	71	1.2 (0.9–1.6)	88	0.9 (0.8–1.1)	73	1.0 (0.7–1.5)
Kham	80	1.3 (1.0–1.8)	90	1.0 (0.8–1.2)	67	0.9 (0.6–1.4)

[i] *Significant association (p < 0.05); ¹Respondent, who is typically the primary caregiver.

Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.1318 | Journal eISSN: 1745-3011

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Language: English

Page range: 215 - 227

Submitted on: Jun 6, 2025

Accepted on: Apr 22, 2026

Published on: May 29, 2026

Published by: Stockholm University Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

Access,

Assistive Technology,

Assistance,

Lao PDR

© 2026 Bounhome Soukkhaphone, Nathaniel Scherer, Ketmany Chanthakoummane, Anousin Homsana, Mark T. Carew, Hannah Kuper, Lena Morgon Banks, Latsamy Siengsounthone, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 28 (2026): Issue 1