An interprofessional experience: home & community participation in Bogotá, Colombia
Date
2019-10-25
DOI
Authors
Tamberrino, Lucy
Greenberg, Kimberly
Jacobs, Karen
Khurshid, Rebecca
Múnera, Marcela
Cifuentes, Carlos
Garzón, Andrea
Version
Other
OA Version
Citation
Lucy Tamberrino, Kimberly Greenberg, Karen Jacobs, Rebecca Khurshid, Marcela Múnera, Carlos Cifuentes, Andrea Garzón. 2019. "An interprofessional experience: Home & community participation in Bogotá, Colombia."
Abstract
Background: To create and assess the effectiveness of Assistive Technology (AT) devices for mobility, information must be known about the user (client factors and AT preferences), contexts (physical, social, cultural, and institutional), and activity.
Objectives: To examine the environmental, social, and client factors that influence participation in home and community environments for adults with ambulatory impairments in Bogotá, Colombia; and to assess the benefits and limitations of the current forms of AT for individuals that use AT for mobility (i.e. canes, walkers, and wheelchairs).
Methods: Two questionnaires were completed by 30 individuals with ambulatory impairments (mean age = 44.3 years). Participants were recruited from an outpatient rehabilitation facility in Bogotá, Colombia.
Results: The data suggests that the main environmental barriers that individuals with ambulatory impairments experience in the home/community are: stairs, lack of elevators/chairlifts, uneven sidewalks/pathways, lack of curb cuts, and a shortage of accessible public transportation. Additionally, individuals with ambulatory impairments express that they experience some stigma in the community, but overall, find that people in their home/community are willing to help them. Preferences for specific AT components are dependent on the type of AT device and user.
Conclusions: When developing or evaluating AT devices in Bogotá, Colombia, occupational therapy practitioners and engineers should take into account the client factors and the physical and social contexts surrounding the AT device user.