A description of assistive technology sources, services and outcomes of use in a number of African settings

Abstract

Although there is variation between the study settings, the main impression is that of fragmented or absent systems of provision of assistive technology. Implications for rehabilitation Provision of assistive technology and services varied between countries, but the overall impression was of poor provision and fragmented services. The limited provision of assistive technology for personal care and handling products is of concern as many of these devices requires little training and ongoing support while they can make big functional differences. Rural respondents experienced more difficulties when using the device and received less information on use and maintenance of the device than their urban counterparts. A lack of government responsibility for assistive device services correlated with a lack of information and/or training of participants and maintenance of devices.