Abstract:
This study was survey research that studied level of satisfaction of people with physical disability regarding architectural accessibility to hospitals in Bangkok, area, and the associated difference in education level, degree of physical disability, and movement supporting tools, and observe the architectural accessibility of hospitals in the Bangkok area, Thailand. The sample group was composed of 123 people with physical disability, obtained with the circular systematic sampling method. The reliability value of satisfaction was 0.70. The descriptive statistics percentage, frequency, mean, and standard deviation were used. Inferential statistics, One Way ANOVA and t-test were employed for testing, the differences of education level, degree of disability, movement supporting tools, and between government hospitals and private hospitals. Least significant difference (LSD) was used for Multiple Comparison. The findings found that people with physical disability had a satisfaction at a moderate level for architectural accessibility of hospitals. They were satisfied with private hospitals more than government hospitals, with statistical significance at a level of 0.05. The difference in education level did not cause a difference in satisfaction (statistical significance at level .05), but difference in degree of disability, and tool use caused difference in their satisfaction, with a statistical significance at the level of 0.05. From research findings, it can be seen that public and private health care settings rapidly need to modify facilities for persons with disability. The following areas have been identified. a) Buildings: divided into 1) wheelchair accessibility: the entrance to the building, doors and door handles, slopes, signposts (to toilet, cafeteria, elevator etc.); 2) elevators: controlled-buttons, inside area; 3) toilets for disabled persons: area, basin, door handles. b) Location: sufficient disabled parking, providing clear colored lines throughout the building, appropriate wheelchair accessibility in the building, payment area for wheelchair users. c) Public services: focus more on accessibility for wheelchair users, such as providing safe covers of drainage ditches, slop level and size of signposts appropriate to wheelchair users, having space for wheelchair under counter or tables, information directory boards, disabled telephone booths. d) Disabled symbols: for physical and mobility impairment friendly areas, appropriate symbols area required. Additional research on physical and mobility impairment is required in rural and slum areas.