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Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Translated Title

身心障礙者對於個別化醫療復健輔助器具設計服務需求暨市場供需調查

Abstract

The number of people with physical-mental disabilities in Taiwan was 711,064 in the year 2000. The difficulties in performing activities of daily lives and social function handicaps in these people can often be alleviate with the proper application of assisted device. The individualized need of assisted device in people with physical-mental disabilities was never investigated in Taiwan. Therefore, the objectives in this investigation were to: 1. understand the need of assisted device in people with physical-mental disabilities, 2. understand the need of individualized assisted device in people with physical-mental disabilities, 3. observe the similarities and differences in the need for assisted device in people with different disabilities, 4. observe the similarities and differences in assisted device application in people with different disability levels, 5. observe the relationship in the need for assisted device and personal factors.Our investigation sent out 2,850 questionnaires to the people regarded as physical-mental disabilities by the department of internal affairs, and received back a total of 539 valid questionnaires. Fifty-eight percent of subjects either did not have or only have limited understanding regarding the concept of assisted device application; however, in terms of the necessity of assisted device, 66% felt that they were extremely necessary. Whether the assisted device were well constructed or not in order to fit the people with physical-mental disabilities, 57% of them felt that the assisted device were either totally unfit, mildly unfit or with little satisfaction. Fifty-one percent felt that the assisted device should be molded and constructed individually. In terms of the overall types of the required assisted device for the physical-mental disabilities subjects, thirty-four percent were assisted device for locomotion, 32.5% belonged to the upper and lower extremities assisted devices or orthosis, 25.4% were assisted device for activities of daily living. The types of assisted device required for physical or multiple disabilities were similar to the aforementioned data as in the physical-mental disabilities. For subjects with disabilities such as mental retardation, they required assisted device that could assist them in vocational, communication, and cognitive function purposes. Hearing disability individuals needed assisted device to help them communicate. In terms of individualized assisted device designs, subjects with extremity and multiple disabilities needed specially designed shoes, insoles, seating systems, pen grasping utensils, reflex inhibitory pattern and proper positioning device. Mental retardation disability subjects required further modern technology assistance such as alarming system, special protection facilities, and computer softwares for cognitive training. Subjects with hearing disability needed telephone volume amplifiers, vibratory watches, illuminated door-bells, and under the pillow vibratory alarm clocks. With statistical analysis of the aforementioned data, we realized subjects with the more severe level of disability, the need for assisted device assistance was higher. For subjects who were dependent in terms of daily activities, they had higher need for assisted device that can help them perform upper and lower extremity, daily activity, cognitive, and communicating functions. However, the need of assisted device for athletic and vocational purposes was lower. For subjects who were more independent in terms of daily activities, they strongly needed assisted device for athletic and vocational purposes, and the need of assisted device for communication purposes was low. In conclusion, we discovered that: 1. Subjects with physical-mental disabilities lacked proper concept and understanding of assisted device usages. More educational efforts must be implemented to help them to understand the significance of assisted device, 2. Most of the assisted device were unfit for the physical-mental disabilities subjects. Individualized constructions are required for this subject population, especially in upper and lower extremity assisted device, and in the assisted device for assisting daily activities, 3. It will be wise if the government and assisted device construction centers can work together and offer a service protocol that would be more convenient for the needed individuals. They can also work together in the training of more capable technician for assisted device, and in educating the public regarding the correct concept and the significance of assisted device application.

Language

Traditional Chinese

First Page

1

Last Page

10

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