Time Lost, Function Lost: Rehabilitation Delays and Functional Independence among Patients with Disabilities in Gaza

This cross-sectional study of 112 people with disabilities receiving rehabilitation at Nasser Medical Complex, Gaza (November 2025–January 2026), examines how long patients wait for physiotherapy and occupational therapy and whether longer waits are associated with lower functional independence, measured by the Barthel Index. Most patients faced compounding vulnerability: 81% were displaced, 78% lived in tents and 32% had no formal schooling. Patients waited on average 5.35 months for physiotherapy (range 1–22) and 7.69 months for occupational therapy (range 2.3–23.7). The mean Barthel Index score was 32.72 out of 100, indicating severe dependency in daily activities. Longer delays were strongly associated with poorer function (physiotherapy r = −0.72; occupational therapy r = −0.69; both p < 0.01). As a cross-sectional study, the findings show association, not causation, and injury severity was not accounted for. Delayed rehabilitation may turn short-term injuries into long-term disability, increasing future demand on an already overstretched health system. Contact: [email protected]