Abstract
Introduction Recognizing that AT service characteristics, including knowledge and reasoning of providers, play a potential role in the appropriated selection and training, with impact on the psychosocial domains of QoL. In Portugal, AT services are detected to be ineffective concerning evaluation, recommendation, advocacy, training and outcome measuring, what could be a reason for these findings.
Objectives To investigate the relationship between AT services characteristics and psychosocial impact of the wheelchairs on users QoL to get insights to new approach models in physiotherapy.
Methodology Procedures included answering to self-administered questionnaires at their own. The dependent variable was the psychosocial impact of assistive devices (PIADS) and the independent variables were satisfaction with AT (QUEST) and AT service characteristics.
Results Participants were 184 wheelchair users for more than one year with diverse diagnosis; age M = 37.3 years, recruited at physiotherapy/rehabilitation settings in Portugal. Wheelchair users are more satisfied with devices than with AT services. Correlations between psychosocial impact of wheelchair are moderate regarding the satisfaction of device dimension, measured by QUEST. No corrections were found to satisfaction with service dimension Manual wheelchair users scored lower psychosocial impact than motorized wheelchair users and that difference was statistically significant.
Conclusion PT should be aware of the newest high technology devices introduced on the market, payment sources and state AT programs as well as destigmatize dependence associated to AT. We got significant insights to AT field and to the development of PT curriculum; PT students need more than the basic level of knowledge and training they achieved at school to feel prepared to provide AT services. After graduation, PTs need continuing education on AT. Strategies are discussed on this report.