Is it feasible to implement a community-based participatory group programme to address issues of access to healthcare for people with disabilities in Luuka district Uganda? A study protocol for a mixed-methods pilot study

This study outlines a pilot protocol for testing Participatory Learning and Action for Disability (PLA‑D) groups aimed at improving healthcare access for people with disabilities, who typically face significant barriers and poorer health outcomes. The pilot will be implemented in five groups in Luuka district, Uganda, each comprising around 20 people with disabilities, their caregivers, and family members, meeting every 2–3 weeks over 9–11 months to identify health access challenges and co‑create local solutions such as rights awareness, advocacy, and community‑based financing schemes. Feasibility will be assessed using mixed methods, including interviews, focus group discussions, activity monitoring, observations, and baseline and endline surveys, focusing on acceptability, demand, implementation, and practicality, while also refining tools for a future trial. Ethical approval has been obtained, with adapted informed‑consent procedures for people with disabilities, and findings will be disseminated to communities, policymakers, programme stakeholders, and academic audiences.

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