Environmental barriers to participation and facilitators for use of three types of assistive technology devices

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic data for 156 participants who use MEP, PMD, or ATC.

	Total n = 156 (%)	MEP n = 51 (33)	PMD n = 58 (37)	ATC n = 47 (30)
Sex, female/male (%)	56/44	37/63	60/40	72/28
Age mean ± SD (years)	46.0 ± 16.8	41.1 ± 17.4	54.1 ± 15.5	41.8 ± 14.2
Diagnosis ICD-10, n (%)	14^¤		6^¤	8^¤
V. Mental & behavior disorders^#	31 (22)			31 (79)
VI. Diseases of nervous system	47 (33)		39 (75)	8 (21)
XIII. Diseases of musculoskeletal system	10 (7)		10 (19)
XVII. Congenital malformations	31 (22)	31 (61)
XIX. Injury, acquired amputation	23 (16)	20 (39)	3 (6)
Living status, n (%)	2^¤		1^¤	1^¤
Single	67 (43)	19 (37)	24 (42)	24 (52)
Cohabitating	73 (47)	29 (57)	28 (49)	16 (35)
Single together with parents	14 (9)	3 (6)	5 (9)	6 (13)
Vocational status, n (%)	2^¤		1^¤	1^¤
Working full or part time	60 (38)	37 (72)	12 (21)	11 (24)
Student	14 (9)	4 (8)	3 (5)	7 (15)
Retired	24 (15)	7 (14)	14 (25)	3 (7)
Disability pension*	56 (36)	3 (6)	28 (49)	25 (54)
Frequency of AT use, n (%)
Daily use	119 (76)	41 (80)	37 (64)	41 (87)
Weekly use	17 (11)	3 (6)	12 (21)	2 (4)
Monthly use	7 (4.5)	0 (0)	6 (10)	1 (2)
Less than monthly use	7 (4.5)	4 (8)	3 (5)	0 (0)
Never use	6 (4)	3 (6)	0 (0)	3 (6)
Experience of AT use	15^¤	2^¤	7^¤	6^¤
Mean ± SD (years)	11.6 ± 11.1	22.9 ± 10.9	7.1 ± 5.2	3.7 ± 2.7

Notes. SD = standard deviation. *Disability pension temporary or permanent; ^¤missing; ^#Neuro psychiatric disorder (n = 26) and mild intellectual disability (n = 5).

Figure 1. CHIEF-S item product scores in users of myoelectric prostheses, powered mobility devices, and assistive technology for cognition.

Table 2. Environmental barriers to participation reported in CHIEF-S scores as median (range) grouped in type of AT.

Environmental domains CHIEF-S sub scores and total score	Total n = 15 Median (Range)	MEP n = 51 Median (Range)	PMD n = 57 Median (Range)	ATC n = 47 Median (Range)	p-Value*	Between groups p-value ^#MEP–PMD	Between groups p-value ^#MEP –ATC	Between groups p-value ^#PMD–ATC
Attitudes/support (n = 154)	0.20 (0–7.60)	0.00 (0–7.60)	0.20 (0–7.20)	0.80 (0–6.00)	<0.001	0.024	<0.001	0.015
Services/assistance (n = 154)	0.37 (0–8.00)	0.00 (0–4.00)	0.62 (0–8.00)	1.17 (0–5.00)	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	NS
Physical/structural (n = 153)	0.67 (0–6.40)	0.00 (0–4.33)	1.33 (0–6.40)	2.00 (0–6.25)	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	NS
Work/school (n = 146)	0.00 (0–8.00)	0.00 (0–6.00)	0.00 (0–6.67)	0.00 (0–8.00)	NS	NS	NS	NS
Policies (n = 150)	0.00 (0–8.00)	0.00 (0–7.50)	0.13 (0–8.00)	0.75 (0–8.00)	<0.001	0.030	<0.001	NS
CHIEF-S total score (n = 155)	0.52 (0–6.42)	0.12 (0–5.28)	0.62 (0–6.42)	1.56 (0–6.07)	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001	0.050

Notes. Higher median scores indicate more barriers. NS = No significance. Significant at p < 0.05; significant differences in bold. *Kruskal Wallis test; ^#Mann-Whitney U test.

Figure 2. CHIEF-S total product score distributed based on the frequency of use in users of myoelectric prostheses, powered mobility devices, and assistive technology for cognition.

Table 3. Environmental facilitators for AT use reported as medians grouped by type of AT.

Facilitator for AT use	Total n = 156 Median (Range)	MEP n = 51 Median (Range)	PMD n = 58 Median (Range)	ATC n = 47 Median (Range)	p-Value*	Between groups p-value ^#MEP–PMD	Between groups p-value ^#MEP–ATC	Between groups p-value ^#PMD–ATC
Relatives supports	4 (1–5)	4 (1–5)	4 (1–5)	2.5 (1–5)	<0.001	NS	<0.001	<0.001
Professionals supports	4 (1–5)	4 (1–5)	4 (1–5)	3 (1–5)	NS	NS	NS	NS
Relatives encourages	4 (1–5)	4 (1–5)	4 (1–5)	3 (1–5)	<0.001	0.048	0.014	<0.001
Professionals encourages	3 (1–5)	3 (1–5)	3 (1–5)	4 (1–5)	NS	NS	NS	NS
Social support and services supports	3 (1–5)	3 (1–5)	3 (1–5)	2 (1–5)	0.048	0.040	NS	0.035
Authorities and organizations supports	2 (1–5)	2.5 (1–5)	2 (1–5)	1 (1–5)	NS	NS	NS	NS
Rules and regulations supports	2 (1–5)	2 (1–5)	3 (1–5)	1 (1–5)	0.045	NS	NS	0.024

Notes. 1 = no support, 2 = little support, 3 = moderate support, 4 = much support, 5 = very much support. NS = No significance. Significant at p < 0.05; significant differences in bold. *Kruskal Wallis Test; ^#2-tailed Mann-Whitney U test.