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Jeffrey W. Jutai, PhD, CPsych, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Western Ontario & St. Joseph's Health Care London, Parkwood Hospital, Room H422, 801 Commissioners Road East, London, ON N6C 5J1, Canada, 519-685-4292 ext. 42626, jjutai@uwo.ca and Joseph A. Bortolussi, MSW, Neurodevelopmental Program, Bloorview Macmillan Children's Centre, 350 Rumsey Road, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8, Canada.
The overwhelming majority of children who have moderate or severe physical disability will use one or more forms of assistive technology device (ATD) over the course of their lives. The research evidence for the effectiveness of ATDs is weak. As a result, the conditions under which ATDs can be most successfully introduced to these children cannot be described with be with confidence. Whether ATDs operate at the primary (health enhancement) or tertiary (therapeutic) stage, they may accurately be seen as interventions whose purpose is to enhance quality of life through change or development of health-related behaviour and conditions of living. The conceptual framework for modeling ATD outcomes must take into account the multiple factors that shape functional status and well being, to help the researcher arrive at a highly focused subset of those factors as targets for ATD intervention. Our research program examines the psychosocial impact of ATDs, and includes the development of self-report questionnaire for children. It is conducted within a conceptual framework that applies health promotion research concepts to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health developed by the World Health Organization. ATD use is viewed as a developmental (time-dependent) process with distinguishable stages.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Child Health Promotion, Change
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.