Measuring the impact of assistive technologies on quality of life: Can rehabilitation professionals rise to the challenge?

Seale, Jane and Turner-Smith, Alan (2003) Measuring the impact of assistive technologies on quality of life: Can rehabilitation professionals rise to the challenge? In, Higginson, I., Carr, A. and Robinson, P. (eds.) Quality of Life. London, UK. BMJ Books, pp. 79-88.

Abstract

Assistive Technology is an umbrella term for any device or system that allows an individual to perform a task they would otherwise be unable to do or increases the ease and safety with which the task can be performed. Assistive technologies include wheelchairs, communication aids, computers and aids to daily living such as reachers. This chapter uses the example of assistive technology as a case study that reflects the conceptual and methodological evolution of quality of life research in other areas of medicine.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s advocates of assistive technology frequently claimed that it could improve patient quality of life. But what they actually meant by quality of life varied considerably. Claims surrounding quality of life were frequently linked to notions of increased independence, productivity or social participation. For example, in 1984 Kornblugh talked about the role assistive technologies could play for older people and predicted that they:
” will want more than a decent place to live and enough to eat; they will want more independence, continued productivity and be less tolerant of custodial care. In other words, they will want an enhanced quality of life in their twilight years.”1
While outlining the importance of developing more and better assistive technologies in order to improve the quality of life for disabled and elderly people, Cooper (1995; p.83) argued:
“With the development and appropriate application of proper assistive technology, persons with disabilities can lead more active and productive lives. The ultimate goal is to develop and appropriately apply proper assistive technologies to ameliorate problems faced by persons with disabilities and to allow them to participate fully in every aspect of society.” 2
Around the mid 1990’s rehabilitation professionals began to acknowledge that they needed to consider outcomes that would adequately and appropriately measure the impact of assistive technologies on quality of life. This acknowledgement was linked to concerns about why some patients abandoned assistive technologies. It was important to explore why individuals decided to accept or reject different types of assistive technologies and this work was critical to improving the effectiveness of AT interventions and enhancing individuals’ quality of life.3
In attempting to explore the impact of assistive technologies on quality of life, rehabilitation professionals have used a number of instruments from general health-related quality of life instruments, participation oriented instruments to specially designed assistive technology specific measures. We will consider these three approaches in turn.

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