Satisfaction with Assistive Technology among Users with disabilities: Findings from a Sub-national Study in India

Abstract

Background User satisfaction with Assistive Technology (AT) is one of the integral outcomes of successful AT service. The current study aimed to estimate the satisfaction with AT and reasons for dissatisfaction among users with disabilities in India Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in eight districts, representing four zones of India, using the WHO Rapid Assistive Technology Assessment tool. Multi-stage cluster random sampling along with the probability proportional to size technique was used to select smaller administrative units from the larger ones. Satisfaction was reported in terms of assistive products and service delivery. Results In total, 8486 participants were surveyed out of 8964 individuals enumerated with a response rate of 94.6%. Around 22.2% (1888) of participants with disabilities reported using AT, out of which 7.8% (147) were dissatisfied with their products. The proportion of respondents with disabilities reporting satisfaction with their products, AT services in terms of assessment and training, and AT repair and maintenance were 92.2%, 88.4%, and 85.2%. However, 12.4% (234) and 14.9% (282) of respondents reported that their AT was not suitable for home and public environments, respectively. Another 13.4% (253) respondents reported that their AT does not help them in executing their daily living activities. Discomfort (56.6%), poor fitting (37.7%), low quality of service (20.7%), and poor aesthetic values (18.9%) were identified as reasons for dissatisfaction. Satisfaction was good for AT received from friends and family but was poor for those received from the public sector. Conclusion The study shows that overall satisfaction and suitability with AT were high among users with disabilities, yet few have reported barriers to effective device use and facing challenges in accessing repair and follow-up services.