Assessing functional performance and satisfaction of clients utilizing a community assistive technology lending program.

Research Objectives: To Implement the Patient Specific Functional scale (PSFS)/UATP specific questionnaire as an assessment to gather qualitative and quantitative data for the UATP lending program.

Design: 1 group pre-test/post-test

Setting: Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP).

Participants: 25 participants, 13 males ages 2-90 with impairments: 5 musculoskeletal, 9 neurological, and 1 systemic/functional. Areas of need were 2 ADLs, 1 IADL, and 12 mobility.

Interventions: Participants self-identified a beneficial assistive device. Devices were lent on a 4 to 8 week trial basis.

Main Outcome Measures: The Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) was used to measure functional performance prior to and after the lending period. Device and program satisfaction were measured using a 5-point Likert scale. Open-ended responses were collected from participants regarding how they heard about the program and why they chose to use it.

Results: Paired-samples t-test indicated a statistically and clinically significant improvement in PSFS scores (2.81±3.13 points, p=0.013) and moderate effect size (d=0.67). Device satisfaction measured at the end of the lending period was (4.6071±.83617). All participants strongly agreed they were satisfied with the lending program (5-points).

Chi-Square tests of association indicated no statistically significant relationship between changes in PSFS scores and disease type or device category. Spearman rank-sign correlation tests indicated no statistically significant relationship between change in PSFS score and device satisfaction or age. Most participants were made aware of the program as identified through the most common themes from qualitative: Personal-referral, outreach-opportunity, health-care referral. The most common reasons participants sought a device were identified through the qualitative themes as cost/supply and personal/connection. All participants measured 5/5 on client satisfaction with the UATP.

Conclusions: UATP provides an effective service for people with assistive technology needs. Participants could self-identify an effective device regardless of age, disease, or functional need. Results support funding community lending programs.

Author(s) Disclosures: There is no known conflict.