About this Research Topic

Background

Assistive technology (AT) and its roles in health and non-health-related care have gained significant attention worldwide over the last few years. Conventionally, Assistive Technologies are meant to minimize the functional limitations among users with any form of physical or sensory difficulties. The WHO estimated in the GReAT Report 2022 that around one in ten people who need AT have access to it globally. This number is expected to increase to more than two billion people by 2030. Among those who require assistive technology, the older population, and persons with disabilities need AT the maximum. Over time, this vulnerable group will increase across the world on account of the increase in the aging population and non-communicable diseases and injuries.

Evidence shows that AT helps them overcome their challenges in performing daily living activities, thereby assisting in independent living. Further, AT enhances education performance, improves social inclusion among users, and finally, augments in improving well-being and quality of life. AT also helps to reduce the frequent healthcare needs and burden to caregivers. Without AT, people with disabilities will be victims of social exclusion, loss of opportunities, and unemployment compared to people without disabilities.

Lack of access to AT for those who require it can have serious impacts on individuals, families, and society as a whole. It causes not only poor health outcomes but also deteriorating health conditions due to an increased risk of secondary health complications and a further reduction in the quality of life. All these factors can lead to a higher burden on the healthcare delivery system. There is indirect economic loss due to the involvement of family members in caring for people with disabilities. Improving access and increasing affordability to AT will help unlock their full potential, thereby enabling them to participate in the workforce and providing socio-economic benefits to families, society, and the country.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), access to appropriate AT is a fundamental human right. The UNCRPD considers the rights of PWDs to have equitable access to every mainstream and disability-specific program across its member states. Recently, the WHO has led many initiatives related to AT services after the 71st World Health Assembly’s resolution in 2018, to improve access to AT for its member states. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have pledged that no one should be left behind irrespective of personal characteristics.

Therefore, the primary aim of the Research Topic is to identify various effective AT service models including digital technologies, smart devices, and epidemiological evidence in terms of AT-related indicators that will be useful for advocacy, policy, and planning for AT services, trials, the successful case studies.

To address the scope of the research topic from the public health perspective, we particularly encourage contributions that encompass the following but are not limited to

• Original articles looking at the generation of evidence on public health data related to AT indicators such as need, use, met and unmet need, challenges, and facilitators, user satisfaction, factors leading to non-use or lack of adaptation;

• Articles that explain the real-world effective AT services models, case reports on successful implementation of AT services, and user acceptability, not limiting to healthcare;

• Articles related to effective trials using AT services packages, usability trials;

• AT in livelihood, vocational training, and Employment opportunities;

• Qualitative works exploring AT perception, belief, stigma, and other culturally related studies;

• Digital devices or technologies encompassing smart devices with the fast changes in accessibility features and computer technology their usage, digital literacy among target groups, benefits, and challenges.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: assistive technologies, public health, aging population, older adults, disability, care

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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