Employment supports for adults with disabilities in low and middle income countries: a Campbell systematic review

Summary

To identify, appraise and synthesise studies of interventions to improve labour market outcomes of adults in developing countries with physical and/or sensory disabilities. Systematic review methods, following Campbell Collaboration guidelines, were utilised. A comprehensive search was used to identify relevant studies published between 1990 and 2013, which were graded for study quality and a narrative approach used to synthesise the research evidence.

Fourteen studies covering a wide range of interventions met the inclusion criteria. Although individual studies reported improvements in outcomes, heterogeneity was high and studies were generally of poor methodological quality. There is a lack of high-quality research evidence to inform decision-making in this area. Stakeholders should be cautious when interpreting the results of the current evidence base.