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Novel lateral transfer assist robot decreases the difficulty of transfer in post-stroke hemiparesis patients: a pilot study

KOYAMA, Soichiro
TANABE, Shigeo
OTAKA, Yohei
KATO, Tomoya
FURUZAWA, Shotaro
TATEMOTO, Tsuyoshi
KUMAZAWA, Nobuhiro
YOSHIMUTA, Hiroshi
TORII, Katsuhiko
TSUKADA, Shingo
SAITOH, Eiichi
et al
2020

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Purpose

The purpose of this study was to clarify whether the novel lateral transfer assist robot facilitates easier transfers compared with a wheelchair in post-stroke hemiparesis patients.

 

Methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled 20 post-stroke hemiparesis patients, and the task difficulty of transfers was compared between a wheelchair and lateral transfer assist robot. All participants were asked to transfer from either wheelchair or lateral transfer assist robot to a platform table and back. The primary outcome was the transfer score of the Functional Independence Measure. The secondary outcome was the time required for transfer.

 

Results

The transfer score of the Functional Independence Measure was significantly higher with lateral transfer assist robot than with wheelchair (p < .001). The transfer times from these devices to a platform table and back showed no significant differences (to device from platform table: 7.8 s, lateral transfer assist robot vs 7.6 s, wheelchair, p > .05: device to platform table: 7.1 s, lateral transfer assist robot vs 8.0 s, wheelchair, p > .05).

 

Conclusions

Transfer with a lateral transfer assist robot is easier than with wheelchair and facilitates independence in post-stroke hemiparesis patients.

“You have to argue the right way”: user involvement in the service delivery process for assistive activity technology

PEDERSEN, Heidi
KERMIT, Patrick S
SÖDERSTRÖM, Sylvia
2020

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Purpose: 

This article critically examines user-involvement in the service delivery process for assistive activity technology.

 

Methodology:

Data were collected in semi-structured interviews with 44 end users of assistive activity technology and in focus group interviews with 11 professionals at Norway’s Assistive Technology Centre. Data was analysed according to a stepwise deductive–inductive approach.

 

Findings: 

Flawed organisational principles like division of responsibility, unclear regulations, and a lack of competence with assistive activity technology among service professionals have hindered user involvement in the service delivery process.

 

Conclusion:

 A missing knowledge of assistive activity technology among professionals and the current organisation of services creates barriers for a positive collaboration with users in the service delivery process of assistive activity technology.

Capability of deaf children with a cochlear implant

RIJKE, Wouter J
VERMEULEN, Anneke M
WENDRICK, Karine
MYLANUS, Emmanuel
LANGEREIS, Margreet C
VAN DER WILT, Gert Jan
November 2019

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Introduction: The main idea underlying this paper is that impairments such as deafness are particularly relevant to the extent that they lead to deprivation of capability. Likewise, the impact of healthcare services such as cochlear implants and subsequent rehabilitation can best be inferred from the extent that they protect or restore capability of those affected.

 

Methods: To explore children’s post-implant capabilities, we tested two newly developed digital, adaptive child self-report and parent-report questionnaires in 19 deaf children (aged 8–12 years) and their parents during rehabilitation, as well as in 23 age peers with normal hearing.

 

Results: Despite the impressive speech-language results that were recorded with cochlear implants, the post-implant capabilities of the deaf children we evaluated differed from those of their hearing peers, with the cochlear implant group appearing particularly disadvantaged in areas such as accessing information, communication, social participation, and participation in school.

 

Conclusion: Deaf children with cochlear implants who are performing well on linguistic and auditory tests can still experience serious limitations in desired functioning. Our findings suggest that a capability approach may reveal aspects of what is being achieved through rehabilitation that might otherwise remain unnoticed, and that could help to further improve the well-being of our patients.

Health-Related Quality of Life of Wheelchair Fencers, Sedentary People with Disability and Conventional Fencers in Brazil, Assessed by Short Form 36 (SF-36)

CLEMENTE, Mirna
MIGUEL, Marilis Dallarmi
FELIPE, Karina Bettega
SCHWANTES, Ivan Marangon
JUNIOR, Darlan França Ciesielski
SCHWANTES, Athos Marangon
SCHONHOFEN, Christian Burmeister
ALVES, Tabea Epp Kuster
BRAZ, Tiago Volpi
FERNANDES, Luiz Claudio
MIGUEL, Obdulio Gomes
2019

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Purpose: It is well established that physical exercise, in general, decreases anxiety and depression. Para sport or sport for people with disabilities is used as a rehabilitation strategy to improve their quality of life. This study aimed to investigate people with disabilities who practise wheelchair fencing, sedentary people with physical disability and conventional fencers, assessed by Short Form 36 (SF-36), by comparing the groups.

 

Method: Forty-two people from Physical Disability Association of Parana (ADFP) answered SF-36 and were divided into three groups: Conventional Fencers (CF), Wheelchair Fencers (WF), and Sedentary People with Physical Disability (SD).

 

Results: This study was the first to report the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of conventional fencers, wheelchair fencers, and sedentary people with physical disability, using SF-36. The data demonstrated high scores in CF and WF, on seven SF-36 scales of the eight-scale profile, including functional and mental health, role physical, bodily pain, general health perception, vitality, social functioning, mental health. Moreover, the sedentary group had lower scores in most of the domains when they were compared to CF.

 

Conclusion: The results might provide supportive evidence that HRQOL of WF has demonstrated a positive effect on people with disability since para sport has been used as a rehabilitation programme.

 

Implication: The implementation of a public campaign is recommended, about sport as a health promoter for disability and rehabilitation. By involving healthcare providers from the area, people with disabilities can be encouraged to participate in para sport.

The Arabic version of Trinity Amputation and Prosthetic Experience Scale - Revised (TAPES-R) for lower limb amputees: Reliability and validity

MASSARWEH, Reem
SOBUH, Mohammad
2019

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Purpose: Despite the importance of the evaluation process in lower limb prosthetic rehabilitation, prostheses are rarely evaluated properly in the Arab world. This is partly due to the absence of any suitable Arabic evaluative tool. The aim of this study is to translate TAPES-R (a standardised evaluative questionnaire) into Arabic and to investigate its psychometric properties on lower limb amputees. Such a tool would ultimately be of benefit for clinical follow-up and research purposes.

 

Method: International standards were followed for the forward- and back-translation of the TAPES-R questionnaire. A sample of 111 Arabic-speaking volunteers with lower limb amputation completed the translated version of the questionnaire. The responses were then statistically analysed using factor analysis and Cronbach’s α to assess the content and construct validity, and internal consistency (reliability) respectively.

 

Results: Factor analysis showed that the questionnaire’s items (included in the analysis) can be divided into three distinct dimensions as was originally suggested. The distribution of the items within the three dimensions is comparable with the original questionnaire. All three parts of TAPES-R showed high reliability; where Cronbach’s α were .892, .894, and .873 respectively.

 

Conclusion: This study found that the Arabic version of TAPES-R represents a valid and reliable tool.

 

Limitations: The questionnaire is designed to be emailed or posted, but the majority of the amputee population in Jordan did not have these services, so direct contact with each participant was necessary.

 

 

Disability, CBR and Inclusive Development, Vol 30, No 1 (2019)

Access to human rights for persons using prosthetic and orthotic assistive devices in Sierra Leone

MAGNUSSON, Lina
BICKENBACH, Jerome
January 2019

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Purpose: To evaluate the access to human rights of persons with disabilities who use prosthetic and orthotic assistive devices, and to compare groups of participants in terms of gender, residential area, income, and type and level of assistive device. The addressed areas were rights to: health, a standard of living adequate for health, education, marry and establish a family, vote, and work.

 

Methods: Questionnaires were used to collect self-reported data from 139 lower-limb prosthetic and orthotic users in Sierra Leone.

 

Results: About half of the participants considered their overall physical health good, while 37% said their mental health was bad. Most said they lacked access to medical care. About half of the participants had regular access to safe drinking water. Most had reasonable housing and 60% could read and write. Half of the participants were married and 70% had children. Almost all reported that they could vote if desired and about half were working.

 

Conclusions: There is still a need for improved access to medical care when needed for persons with lower limb physical disability in Sierra Leone. Better access to food and clean water are also necessary to facilitate a standard of living adequate for health, to realize the health rights of persons with disabilities.

Gender and diagnostic impact on everyday technology use: a differential item functioning (DIF) analysis of the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (ETUQ)

KOTTORP, Anders
MALINOWSKY, Camilla
LARSSON-LUND, Maria
NYGARD, Louise
May 2018

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Background: As the use of everyday technology is increasingly important for participation in daily activities, more in-depth knowledge of everyday technology use in relation to diagnosis and gender is needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the stability of the perceived challenge of a variety of everyday technologies across different samples of varying diagnoses including both males and females.

 

Methods: This cross-sectional study used 643 data records from clinical and research samples, including persons with dementia or related disorders, acquired brain injury, intellectual disability, various mental or medical disorders, and adults without known diagnoses. The Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire, comprising 93 everyday technology artifacts and services (items) measuring the level of everyday technology challenge and relevance of and perceived ability to use these was used for data gathering. A two-faceted Rasch model in combination with differential item functioning (DIF) analyses were used for comparing item hierarchies across samples.

 

Results: Only three items (3.2%) demonstrated a clinically relevant DIF by gender, and nine items (9.7%) by diagnosis.

 

Discussion: The findings support a stable hierarchy of everyday technology challenge in home and community that can facilitate planning of an accessible and inclusive society from a technological departure point

Motivation Peer Training – Bridging the gap for people with mobility disabilities

NORRIS, Lucy K.
2017

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Background: Only 2% of people with disabilities in developing countries have access to basic services and rehabilitation.


Objectives: To bridge this gap, Motivation has been running Peer Training activities since 1993 and has identified that there is a growing need for Peer Training. The overall aim of Peer Training is for wheelchair users (Peer Trainers) to provide others (with similar disabilities) with the relevant knowledge on health issues, rights and skills to achieve a basic level of independence and greater quality of life.


Method: To test the impact of Peer Training, Motivation created a knowledge, skills and well-being questionnaire, which has been trialled in two locations: Kenya and Malawi.


Results: Overall, Motivation found that most participants reported an increase in knowledge, skills and well-being, supporting their experience that this training provides vital information and support mechanisms for wheelchair users in low- and middle-income countries. Further work is needed to ensure this tool measures the impact of Peer Training and lessons learnt have been identified to strengthen the methodology.


Conclusion: Although Peer Training is not a replacement for rehabilitation services, Motivation believes it is an effective way to not only increase knowledge and skills of persons with disabilities but also reduce the sense of social isolation that can often be a result of disability.

The impact of physical rehabilitation on the lives of persons with physical impairments in Myanmar: Research Report

LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
August 2017

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The aim of this study was to assess the impact of physical rehabilitation on the physical functioning, economic status and quality of life of people with physical impairments in Myanmar. This project took place between January 2015 – December 2016 and investigated the impact of physical rehabilitation (specifically with prosthesis or orthosis) on the lives of about 100 persons with physical impairments attending 2 rehabilitation centres in Myanmar. Assessment was made of physical functioning, socio-economic status and quality of life before and after receipt of physical rehabilitation services. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected, and a review of Quality of Life tools was undertaken as part of this research, which is reported separately

Developing the Content of a New Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children with Hearing Loss

RAJ, L J
SWARNAKUMARI, P
MARTINA, T
2014

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Habilitation and rehabilitation call for a paradigm shift from the traditional intervention programmes which focus on physical functioning to programmes that include aspects of physical, psychological and social wellbeing.

 

Purpose: To develop a quality of life instrument, using focus group discussions to assess the outcomes of interventions for school-going children with hearing loss.

 

Methods: Separate focus group discussions were held with children with hearing loss between 8 and 18 years of age, special educators and mothers. Focus group discussions were conducted separately for boys and girls. Each focus group had 8–10 participants. In-depth interviews were conducted with the heads of institutions and rehabilitation professionals. Fathers had to complete self-administered questionnaires. The focus group discussions were guided by topics and probes drawn from literature reviews, and were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed.

 

Results: Around 421 problem statements were classified under 7 themes: Educational implications; Social integration; Psycho-social wellbeing; Family relationships; Speech, language and communication; Leisure and recreation; and General functioning. Education and career aspirations were considered to be most important. The problem statements revealed that the primary focus of training was on improving academics. Integration and feeling comfortable with social situations were cited as limitations; as also, the preference for friendship with people of similar abilities. For the majority of children, leisure and recreation was limited to watching television. Parents and siblings were considered vital to their progress and achievements.

 

Conclusions: Multidimensional and varied perspectives of different stakeholders, especially family members, are necessary for a comprehensive analysis of the impact of hearing loss on the quality of life of school-going children.

 

The psychosocial impact on standing devices

NORDSTRÖM, Birgitta
NYBERG, Lars
EKENBERG, Lilly
NÄSLUND, Annika
2013

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Purpose:

The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of standing devices as experienced by users. 

 

Method:

This is the second part of a comprehensive survey in five counties in Sweden where all the subjects with standing devices were invited to participate. The impact of standing devices on functional independence, quality of life and wellbeing was assessed using a questionnaire, Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS).

 

Results:

The psychosocial impact of the standing devices was perceived as positive. The highest PIADS scores in relation to age were found in the oldest group, aged 65 years and older. The ability to walk and independence in ambulation resulted in higher scores than the use of a wheelchair and/or dependence on others. Those who stood often awarded higher scores in the PIADS questionnaire compared to those who used the device less frequently. When standing was integrated in various activities, its psychosocial impact received high scores. 

 

Conclusion:

The psychosocial impact of standing devices was generally experienced positively. The main results indicated that standing in a standing device had a value and we as professionals should ask the users about the intended purpose of their standing in order to prescribe the optimal device.

"Out of the shadows" : a qualitative study of parents’ and professionals’ attitudes and beliefs about children with communication disability in Uganda and how best to help them

MCGEOWN, Julia
September 2012

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"Communication forms the basis of human life and the complex ways with which humans can communicate and interact with each other sets us apart from all other species. However, not all humans are able to communicate effectively due to a range of communication impairments. The overall aim of this study is to generate solutions and recommendations to remove any barriers preventing these children from communicating effectively and potentially to improve their quality of life"
Dissertation submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for a Masters degree at the Centre for International Health and Development (CIHD) at University College London (UCL) Institute of Child Health (ICH)
The user has given permission for the uploaded document to be reproduced and made publicly available on the Source website

The provision of wheeled mobility and positioning devices

GARTON, Francesca
URSEAU, Isabelle
July 2012

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This policy brief provides an overview of Handicap International’s 2012 policy paper on the provision of wheeled mobility and positioning devices (WP&MD) for people with disabilities
PP Brief No 9
Note: this policy should be read in conjunction with Handicap International’s rehabilitation policy paper which provides a broad framework for understanding the organization’s work on rehabilitation, including WP & MD

4th all Africa wheelchair congress report|Theme : advancing appropriate wheelchair services for Africa

THE PAN AFRICA WHEELCHAIR BUILDERS ASSOCIATION (PAWBA)
The Tanzanian Training Centre for Orthopaedic Technologists (TATCOT)
2007

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This report summarises the findings of the 4th All Africa Wheelchair Congress the theme of which was to assess how to advance appropriate wheelchair services across the African continent. This report explores a range of key topics including: impact of wheelchairs on quality of life; partnership for appropriate wheelchair services (from a global and African perspective); wheelchair technology training; wheelchair services and poverty reduction strategy; conventions and guidelines; and capacity building
4th All Africa Wheelchair Congress Report
Uhuru Hotel, Moshi
17-21 September 2007

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