ABSTRACT
Purpose: To understand the assistive product (AP) related needs, unmet needs, demands and barriers of older adults (OA) this study addresses older adults in Tompkins County, NY.Methods: This quantitative cross-sectional descriptive research study used the World Health Organization's rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA). A convenience sample of adults 65 or older in Tompkins County, NY. were surveyed to understand their need for AP, access to it and satisfaction with it.Results: The mean age of the 102 respondents was 73 (SD=6.91). Ninety-five % of participants reported currently using an AP. The findings reveal that while OA are using AP in their everyday lives, barriers to getting the AP that they need remain. While 49% of participants had difficulty with their cognition, the use of AP for cognitive support was only reported by 10 % of the participants. Additionally, there are many different types of AP being used by older adults. These products not only assist users with impairments included on the survey such as hearing, vision, mobility, etc. but with other concerns such as comfort, safety, and injury prevention. One limitation of our study was that we utilized a convenience snowball method to recruit participants in a local area and thus the findings cannot be generalized beyond the study.Conclusion: OA identify both the need for AP that they do not have and a variety of barriers including lack of knowledge and funding for AP that interferes with their obtaining it. Ongoing research is needed to further understand the AT related needs of this growing population as there are many different areas in rehabilitation where work is needed to increase access to AP.
Increasing awareness of options, improving funding, designing assistive products (APs) that are safe, and destigmatising the need for APs for older adults (OAs) are critical for those who work in rehabilitation.Continuing research that describes and documents the changing assistive technology needs of the OA population is critical as this group continues to grow and change.In this study, more OAs reported having cognitive disabilities than other impairments. Increasing access to APs for this group is important.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Globally, one in three individuals needs at least one assistive product. The primary objective of this study was to conduct a survey of Pakistani rehabilitation service providers to determine what proportion provide assistive technology and if their characteristics (including geographical region, education, and experience) are associated with adherence to the service delivery process. The secondary objective was to determine if individuals that provide assistive technology adhere to a standard assistive technology service delivery process. The tertiary objective was to determine if the providers that adhered to a standard delivery process had characteristics that differed from the rest of the service providers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey composed of multiple-choice questions was distributed to physiotherapists, community-based healthcare workers, and related rehabilitation professions through a convenience sampling method. SPSS Statistics was used to develop correlation matrices to determine Pearson's coefficient of number of steps, education level, experience level and continuing education received. RESULTS: There were 71 respondents from 4 Pakistani provinces. 53.5% of respondents stated they provide assistive technology. There was participation in most steps of the service delivery process. There is weak correlation between number of steps and education level, number of steps and experience level, and number of steps and continuing education received. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of respondents provide assistive technology, a significant proportion (46.5%) don't. This may suggest there is a need for additional advocacy and awareness raising of the benefits of and how to access assistive technology in Pakistan.
Implications for RehabilitationPakistan implemented a Rapid Assistive Technology Assessment and determined that only 22% of the population that needs an assistive device has had their needs met.From a relatively small sample, this study investigated if there is a presence of assistive technology service delivery in Pakistan and whether traditional education, experience, or continuing education promotes participation in the assistive technology service delivery process.This study found a presence of assistive technology service delivery in Pakistan, but found weak correlations between participation in the service delivery process with traditional education, experience, and continuing education.These findings suggest that there is room for additional advocacy and awareness training on assistive technology in Pakistan.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the demand, supply and satisfaction of the Chinese people on assistive technology. MethodsBased on the data from the World Health Organization rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) questionnaire in six provinces and cities in China, the assistive technology of the whole population in China was described from three aspects of demand, supply and satisfaction. ResultsA total of 15 234 valid questionnaires were obtained. In terms of demand, the proportion of visual impairment was the highest in all the functional impairment categories, the highest demands in the list were glasses (low-vision, short/long distance etc.) and walking sticks (canes/sticks, tripod and quadripod), while the highest demand outside the list was anti-skid pad. In terms of supply, the private sector was the main one, followed by government facility and public hospital, and most users took "paid out-of-pocket (self)" to obtain assistive technology, the distance to access the assistive technology was concentrated at "less than five kilometers", and the biggest obstacle to obtain assistive technology was lack of knowledge about assistive technology. Overall satisfaction with assistive technology was optimistic, the adaptation degree and service quality of assistive technology were the most unsatisfactory factors for users. ConclusionIn China, the satisfaction of assistive technology is optimistic, and there is a few amount of unmet assistive technology. It is necessary to propagandize assistive technology, and its manual should be readable, the assistive technical service team should be multidisciplinary, enterprises should promote independent innovation, and the professionals should be regulated.
