The effects of assistive technology service delivery processes and factors associated with positive outcomes – a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this systematic review was to investigate effects of different assistive technology service delivery processes (AT-SDPs) for people with functional limitations, including investigation of factors associated with positive outcomes.

Materials and methods: The study was registered in PROSPERO, registration number CRD42018097030. Included were quantitative studies published in peer reviewed journals: randomized controlled trials, cohort, case-control and analytical cross-sectional studies investigating effects of different AT-SDPs or factors associated with the AT-SDP and with n ≥ 10 participants. A systematic literature search was carried out in the databases PsycINFO, CINAHL, SSCI and Medline from 1 January 2008 to 25 July 2018. Besides, four journals were hand searched. The Joanna Briggs Institute MAStARI Critical Appraisal Tools were utilized to assess the risk of bias.

Results: The search resulted in a total of 2947 references of which 12 articles representing 10 studies were included. Five studies were experimental, two were cohort, and five were cross-sectional studies.

Conclusions: This systematic review confirms previous findings that assistive technology users should be involved in the AT-SDP in order to achieve positive outcomes. The level of evidence is, however, low, and it is not clear which of the applied methods are most effective. The review also gives some indication that new technologies could be used to improve the AT-SDP and reduce costs and that training in using the assistive devices seems to be useful. Even though some evidence of effective AT-SDP methods has been identified, more research is still needed to give valid recommendations to AT-SDP practice.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Assistive technology users should be involved in the AT-SDP in order to achieve positive outcomes, but it cannot be determined which methods are the most effective.

• New digital technologies could be used to improve the AT-SDP and reduce costs.

• Training of the users in using their devices is probably useful, but since no specific methods nor extent or dose can be recommended, the professionals still need to use their clinical experience and reasoning to assess the user’s needs for training.

Keywords:

• Self-help device
• assistive product
• user involvement
• training device use
• assistive technology provision
• assistive technology intervention

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the librarians at The National Board of Social Services for carrying out the systematic literature search.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by The National Board of Social Services, Denmark, and the University of Southern Denmark.