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Unmet Needs and Use of Assistive Products in Two Districts of Bangladesh: Findings from a Household Survey

Author

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  • Wesley Pryor

    (Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia)

  • Liem Nguyen

    (Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia)

  • Qumrun Naher Islam

    (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh)

  • Faruk Ahmed Jalal

    (Handicap International—Humanity & Inclusion, Gulshan-1 1212 Bangladesh)

  • Manjula Marella

    (Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia)

Abstract

Access to assistive products (AP) is an under-researched public health issue. Using an adaptation of a draft World Health Organization tool—the ‘Assistive Technology Assessment—Needs (ATA-N)’ for measuring unmet needs and use of AP, we aimed to understand characteristics of AP users, self-reported needs and unmet needs for AP, and current access patterns in Bangladesh. The ATA-N was incorporated in a Rapid Assessment of Disability (RAD), a population-based survey to estimate prevalence and correlates of disability. In each of two unions of Kurigram and Narsingdi districts, 60 clusters of 50 people each aged two years and older were selected using a two-staged cluster random sampling process, of whom, 4250 (59% Female; 41% Male) were adults, including 333 using AP. We estimate 7.1% of the studied population used any AP. AP use is positively associated with age and self-reported functional difficulty. The proportion of people using AP is higher for mobility than for sensory and cognitive difficulties. Of all people with any functional difficulty, 71% self-reported an unmet need for AP. Most products were home or self-made, at low cost, but provided benefits. Needs and unmet needs for AP are high, especially for people with greater functional difficulties. Assessing unmet needs for AP revealed important barriers to scale that can inform policy and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Wesley Pryor & Liem Nguyen & Qumrun Naher Islam & Faruk Ahmed Jalal & Manjula Marella, 2018. "Unmet Needs and Use of Assistive Products in Two Districts of Bangladesh: Findings from a Household Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:12:p:2901-:d:191413
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dorothy Boggs & Abba Hydara & Yaka Faal & John Atta Okoh & Segun Isaac Olaniyan & Haruna Sanneh & Abdoulie Ngett & Isatou Bah & Mildred Aleser & Erima Denis & Ian McCormick & Tess Bright & Suzannah Be, 2021. "Estimating Need for Glasses and Hearing Aids in The Gambia: Results from a National Survey and Comparison of Clinical Impairment and Self-Report Assessment Approaches," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Ruth Sanders & Ben Gascoyne & Paul Appleby & Syeda Asma Rashida & Emma Jolley, 2021. "Eye Health Service Uptake among People with Visual Impairment and Other Functional Difficulties in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study with Short-Term Follow Up," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-12, August.
    3. Qhayiya Magaqa & Proochista Ariana & Sarah Polack, 2021. "Examining the Availability and Accessibility of Rehabilitation Services in a Rural District of South Africa: A Mixed-Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-16, April.
    4. Emma M. Smith & Ying Zhang & Laura Ligthart & Ikenna D. Ebuenyi, 2024. "Development of Priority Assistive Product Lists in Three African Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-15, October.
    5. Young Suk Yoon & Boyoung Jung & Dongsu Kim & In-Hyuk Ha, 2019. "Factors Underlying Unmet Medical Needs: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-19, July.
    6. Wei Zhang & Arne H. Eide & Wesley Pryor & Chapal Khasnabis & Johan Borg, 2021. "Measuring Self-Reported Access to Assistive Technology Using the WHO Rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) Questionnaire: Protocol for a Multi-Country Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Manjula Marella & Donna Koolmees & Chandalin Vongvilay & Bernard Frank & Wesley Pryor & Fleur Smith, 2021. "Development of a Digital Case Management Tool for Community Based Inclusive Development Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-17, October.

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