Abstract: Objective To investigate the rehabilitation needs and technical support for people with disabilities in rural areas. Methods From October, 2017 to February, 2018, 800 persons with disabilities, aged five to 80 years, from 23 villages in five township, Xi'an, Shaanxi, were surveyed with self-designed questionnaire and interview, including the basic situation, disability and training plan, rehabilitation support and skills maintained. Results The persons were mainly aged 50 to 80 years (58.37%), male (65.37%), accepting middle school education or less (46.63%), married (70.63%), living with their family (77.38%), income less than 2000 Yuan (66%), mainly from their family labor (62.62%). Their disabilities were mainly of grade 3 (40.63%), from hemiplegia (30.63%), dependence in living (45.38%), and no systematic rehabilitation program (55.25%). Most of them needed rehabilitation of self-care (40%), accessible guidance (30.63%) and reimbursement from medicare of Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (50.63%), and hoped to participate social activities (41.87%). The rehabilitation supports were as that: the rehabilitation services were mobile or none (67.58%), the guiders of rehabilitation were few or none (48.88%), knew some or less rehabilitation knowledge (64.25%), the professionals accepted no continue education training (40%).Conclusion It is important to improve the rehabilitation technical support system for rural people with disabilities.

Key words: people with disabilities, rural areas, rehabilitation, needs, technical support