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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Jill M. Winters, PhD, RN¹, Molly Follette Story, MS², June Isaacson Kailes, MSW³, Kris Barnekow, PhD, OTR⁴, Brenda Premo, MBA³, Sarma Danturthi, PhD⁵, and Jack M. Winters, PhD⁶. (1) College of Nursing, Marquette University, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, (2) School of Public Health, University of California-Berkeley, 3717 Deauville Place, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, (3) Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions, Western University of Health Sciences, 6201 Ocean Front Walk, Suite 2, Playa del Rey, CA 90293, 310.821.7080, jik@pacbell.net, (4) Occupational Therapy, Marquette University, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, (5) Biomedical Engeneering, Marquette University, P.O. BOX 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, (6) Department of Biomedical Engeneering, Marquette University, P.O. BOX 1881, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881

There are multiple reasons for the health disparities experienced by people with disabilities, but lack of accessible equipment is emerging as a major factor. The usability, safety, and accessibility of medical equipment play a significant role in the quality and delivery of health care services for people with activity limitations.

This presentation provides an overview of data from two multi-method studies of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Accessible Medical Instrumentation that together provide important information on medical equipment accessibility: 1. National consumer survey of 400 participants about 15 categories of equipment; and 2. Follow-up focus groups (n=6) with 55 people with disabilities focusing on four categories of equipment.

The convenience sample for the exploratory, cross-sectional survey was recruited primarily via the Internet and most volunteers participated online, but printed copies of the survey were also distributed at public meetings. Descriptive statistics were used for the quantitative survey data. Two reviewers conducted content analyses independently to code the narrative survey data into themes; the results were reconciled using constant comparison techniques. The same analysis was used for the focus group data. Findings from the two studies were aggregated and synthesized by theme.

Data across studies show clear patterns of barriers to using medical equipment across types of disability. Key findings will be presented, which include identification of barriers specific to different functional limitations. Implications for research, clinical practice and training, advocacy and public policy will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize that reasons for health disparities among people with disabilities include lack of accessible equipment.
• Identify elements that affect the usability, safety, and accessibility of medical equipment and have a significant effect on the quality and delivery of health care services for people with activity limitations.
• Identify implications of inaccessible medical equipment for research, clinical practice and training, advocacy and public policy.

Keywords: Access to Health Care, Health Disparities

Related Web page: www.rerc-ami.org/ami/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation