Assistive Technology Provider Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Globally, health systems face challenges in the delivery of assistive technology (AT) and only 10% of people are currently able to access the assistive products they need. The COVID-19 pandemic presented an uncharted path for AT providers to navigate, placing them under pressure to be agile and rapidly adapt. This article, part of a series, explores the experiences and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on AT providers and aims to inform how AT providers can be better prepared and supported in the future. A mixed methods approach was used to gather service data and perspectives from AT providers via a survey. A total of 37 responses were received from 18 countries. Service data showed extensive service disruption throughout 2020. Thematic analysis suggested significant changes to routine AT service delivery including rapid momentum towards home-based, decentralised, and digital services for which many AT providers were not prepared. Providers were required to make difficult decisions and deliver services in new ways to balance meeting demands, complying with government restrictions, and ensuring the safety of staff and clients. Few but important positives were expressed including the belief that expanded capacity to use remote and digital AT service delivery would remain useful in the future.

Assistive Technology during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: The Roles of Government and Civil Society in Fulfilling the Social Contract

“…The results from these interviews were in line with the results found from the surveys collected simultaneously from a broader sample [13]. The recommendations from that arm of this study, as well as the data from AT providers [2], made clear the need for better planning and implementation involving the consultation of AT users, the need for pandemic responses to recognize the importance of AT, and to strengthen the delivery systems of AT. The interviews reported on here confirm those findings.…”

“…A key component of that response is getting information out to the public [1], and when that pandemic impinges on economic activity and supply chains, the response must also consider services to people to meet increased needs. Those needs can be directly caused by the disease but also can result from the responses needed to meet the crisis, such as lockdowns and the associated economic crisis [2][3][4]. This is particularly important for people who rely on assistive technology (AT) and support services [5].…”

“…This study hears directly from AT users in low-and middle-income countries about their experiences with AT services and related support services during COVID-19. It is part of a series that draws from interviews and survey responses from AT users and providers to better understand the overall impact of COVID-19 [2,13]. This article focuses on the themes that emerged from the interviews about the appropriateness of government responses and what other supports and capabilities enabled people to survive and flourish.…”

Assistive Devices: Technology Development for the Visually Impaired

“…Developing devices for DP is a challenge currently created not only by the lack of investment in the sector but also by the high cost of the final product, which, in most cases, makes access to these technologies unfeasible or difficult [35].…”

Access to Assistive Technology during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic: Voices of Users and Families

“…This article is one in a series of three, exploring the effects of COVID-19 on AT users and their families [ 35 ] and on AT service providers [ 36 ]. Taking an AT ecosystem approach, this paper aims to investigate: What are the experiences of AT users during the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to AT access and service delivery?…”