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Healthcare
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Assistive Technology Access from a Health System Perspective
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Assistive Technology Access from a Health System Perspective

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "TeleHealth and Digital Healthcare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 5185

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Johan Borg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health and Welfare, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden
Interests: assistive technology; health systems; human rights; service delivery; universal access
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Globally, about 2.5 billion people need assistive technology. More than one billion of them do not have their needs met, leaving them behind in terms of participation in the family, community and society. In some countries, less than 3% have access to the assistive technology they need. To progressively achieve universal access to assistive technology in all countries, implementation of evidence-based policies and practices is required. Despite health systems being instrumental for assistive technology access, the knowledge base is limited.

We are pleased to invite you to submit manuscripts to this Special Issue. It aims at presenting research that contributes to the understanding of assistive technology access from the perspective of the health system as a whole or its components, for example, the WHO health system building blocks [1] or the WHO 5P model of assistive technology [2].

In this Special Issue original research is welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to):

  • Systematic reviews of health systems and assistive technology access
  • Cross-sectional studies of the association between health system characteristics and assistive technology access
  • Longitudinal studies of how health systems affect assistive technology access
  • Case studies of health systems and assistive technology access
  • Implementation studies of health system policy or practice for improving assistive technology access
  • Theoretical papers on health system perspectives on assistive technology access

A study on the development or evaluation of an assistive product must address access. For example, how a new design simplifies the provision and improves access by reducing required competence.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

References

[1] Figure 1 in https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/258734/9789241564052-eng.pdf

[2] Figure 1.3 in https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240049451

Dr. Johan Borg
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • access
  • assistive product
  • assistive technology
  • health system
  • policy
  • provision
  • service delivery

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 719 KiB  
Article
Technology-Enabled Senior Living: A Preliminary Report on Stakeholder Perspectives
by Vera Stara, Elvira Maranesi, Johanna Möller, Cecilia Palmier, Toshimi Ogawa, Ryan Browne, Marine Luc, Rainer Wieching, Jerome Boudy and Roberta Bevilacqua
Healthcare 2024, 12(3), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030381 - 1 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1290
Abstract
Background: The integration of stakeholders is crucial in developing smart living technologies to support the autonomy of elderly populations. Despite the clear benefits of these technologies, there remains a significant gap in comprehensive research. Methods: This study presents the viewpoints of 19 stakeholders [...] Read more.
Background: The integration of stakeholders is crucial in developing smart living technologies to support the autonomy of elderly populations. Despite the clear benefits of these technologies, there remains a significant gap in comprehensive research. Methods: This study presents the viewpoints of 19 stakeholders from Europe and Japan, focusing on the sustainability of smart living solutions for Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA). Data were gathered through qualitative semi-structured interviews and analysed using a Framework Analysis approach. Results: Analysis of the interviews revealed six key sustainability categories: addressing the unmet needs of older adults, functionalities of the smart living coach, integration within organizations, identified barriers, financial considerations, and the social role of the smart living coach. Conclusions: This research underscores the importance of evaluating user needs through the involvement of various stakeholders, including the elderly, their caregivers, professionals, technicians, service providers, and government bodies. Collaborative efforts are essential to generate new evidence demonstrating the value of smart living solutions in facilitating Active and Healthy Ageing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technology Access from a Health System Perspective)
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13 pages, 1624 KiB  
Article
On the Relation between Assistive Technology System Elements and Access to Assistive Products Based on 20 Country Surveys
by Johan Borg, Mikael Winberg, Arne H. Eide, Irene Calvo, Chapal Khasnabis and Wei Zhang
Healthcare 2023, 11(9), 1313; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11091313 - 3 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1990
Abstract
The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between assistive technology system elements and access to assistive products. Data on assistive technology system elements and self-reported survey data on access to assistive products from 20 countries were analyzed using multivariate statistical [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between assistive technology system elements and access to assistive products. Data on assistive technology system elements and self-reported survey data on access to assistive products from 20 countries were analyzed using multivariate statistical methods, including orthogonal partial least squares analyses. Access to assistive products was primarily associated with the geographic coverage of assistive technology services in a country, followed by system elements related to policy and personnel. To achieve universal access to assistive technology, geographic coverage of assistive technology services is an instrumental system element. However, it requires the implementation of appropriate policies along with sufficient funding, recruitment of adequately trained personnel, and availability of assistive products in need. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technology Access from a Health System Perspective)
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Review

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14 pages, 1835 KiB  
Review
A Global Environmental Scan of Competencies for Mobility Assistive Product Provision
by Louise Puli, Libby Callaway, Christina L. Ekegren and Natasha Layton
Healthcare 2024, 12(17), 1747; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12171747 - 2 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1057
Abstract
Competencies defined in practice standards and frameworks promote safe and effective healthcare by underpinning training curricula and service standards. The provision of mobility assistive products involves a range of professionals, each guided by various standards and frameworks that define various competencies. This environmental [...] Read more.
Competencies defined in practice standards and frameworks promote safe and effective healthcare by underpinning training curricula and service standards. The provision of mobility assistive products involves a range of professionals, each guided by various standards and frameworks that define various competencies. This environmental scan aimed to identify global resources containing professional competencies applicable to mobility assistive product provision and to compare them against a gold standard. Competencies for mobility assistive products were found in 14 resources of diverse types. While there were similarities between competency standards, such as service steps, there were also significant differences, such as minimum education levels and competency domains. This environmental scan highlights an opportunity for professionals providing mobility assistive products to collaborate and establish unified competencies. Standardizing these competencies could harmonize training, regulation, and service standards, thereby improving coordination and service quality. Additionally, this approach could serve as a model for developing standardized competencies for other assistive products, such as hearing and vision aids, enhancing outcomes across various assistive technology types. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assistive Technology Access from a Health System Perspective)
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