Assistive Technology Assessment

Assistive technology (AT) has a positive impact on the health and well-being of individuals, their families, and society as a whole. Despite these advantages, it is estimated that only 10% of people who need AT currently have access to it, even to basic devices such as hearing or optical aids. Data from WHO and UNICEF (2022) indicate that over 2.5 billion people worldwide require one or more forms of AT and that this number will reach 3.5 billion by 2050.

To ensure that assistive devices are fit for purpose, the WHO recommends four types of services:

• assessment,
• fitting,
• user education,
• and follow-up.

Well-being and safety can be compromised if there are difficulties in any of these steps. When device availability and related services are inadequate or unavailable, more time and financial resources are required for AT services. A negative experience with the availability of AT services can discourage users from seeking them. The lack of early screening – such as hearing or vision screening – results in unmet AT needs. For those who do have access to AT services, the quality of available products and services depends on the training of professionals, service standards, delivery time, the required number of visits, and the procurement of safe and effective products (WHO and UNICEF, 2022, p. 44).

Assessing user needs to select and potentially adapt assistive technology is necessary for the effective use of AT and to reduce the possibility of assistive device rejection. AT needs assessment is a multi-step process (Delzotto, 2022). In addition to assessing the user's abilities and needs, AT needs assessment should also include setting goals, selecting solutions, AT procurement, implementation, and fitting, continuous monitoring of progress, and providing support for the use of AT in the environment (Delzotto, 2022; Pinjatela and Vinceković, 2023).

Experts in the Republic of Croatia who use AT in their work believe they are not sufficiently familiar with assessment instruments for AT selection and are not adequately trained to apply AT when working with users (Stančić and Pinjatela, 2023). The results indicate a need for additional training for professionals in this area.

In Croatia, there is still no standardised model or instrument for assessing the need for assistive technology. However, experts in certain rehabilitation centres have developed their own models for assessing the need for assistive technology. One of these is the Veruda Protocol, by Ines Delzotto, Univ. mag. rehab. educ. A comprehensive model for assessing the need for assistive technology, which would be standardised for the Republic of Croatia, is currently under preparation.