Rehabilitation is a set of interventions designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment.
Health condition refers to disease (acute or chronic), disorder, injury or trauma. A health condition may also include other circumstances such as pregnancy, ageing, stress, congenital anomaly, or genetic predisposition.
Rehabilitation is one of the essential services defined within Universal Health Coverage.
- Regionwide in 2019, it was estimated that a total of 366 million people (188 million women and 178 million men) are living with health conditions that could potentially benefit from rehabilitation services.
- This number increased by 58% from 231 million in 1990 to 366 million in 2019. The increase was higher in women (61%) than in men (56%).
PAHO's Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH) is responsible for promoting, coordinating, and implementing technical cooperation activities related to the prevention, control, and surveillance of noncommunicable diseases, all forms of malnutrition, mental health, neurological and substance use disorders, including their risk factors. It also promotes policies and strategies related with disabilities and rehabilitation, road safety, as well as prevention of and response to violence in all its forms.
