Inequities in access to assistive technology: a call for action

Abstract

Based on existing cross-sectional studies, case studies, and policy-related reports, experts in the field of assistive technology have long suspected that even in high-income countries such as England not everyone who could benefit from assistive technology has access to it, and that there are inequities in access. However, there was little concrete data on the extent of these gaps. Those data have been provided in the study by Danemayer and colleagues.¹ Elegantly using longitudinal data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, the authors show that in a population of 12 080 participants, 2480 (20·5%) had an unmet need for mobility assistive products at baseline and 5102 (42·2%) had an unmet need at least once during the follow-up period, which had a median duration of 4 years. The data further revealed that there are important inequities in access: women, older adults, and people with low education levels, less wealth, or disabilities have higher chances of transitioning from no need to unmet need, with women additionally being less likely than men to transition from unmet need to use. This study is important because it not only provides directions for further research, but it also particularly underscores the need for improving policy and practice. These findings align closely with those from the large, global cross-sectional study into assistive technology needs and access, published by WHO and UNICEF in their Global Report on Assistive Technology.² In that study, it was estimated that in countries with a very high human development index a median of 20·7% (range 16·5–59·8) of people with a need for assistive technology do not have access to it.