The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in Norway
Aims. There are limited analytical descriptions of the assistive device situation in Norway for patients with ALS and other motor neuron diseases. This study is aimed at investigating how patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals (occupational therapists and physiotherapists) experience the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Occupational Therapy International |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5563343 |
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| _version_ | 1849686577314267136 |
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| author | Jenny Pernilla Rolland Mari-Anne Myrberget Tore Wergeland Meisingset |
| author_facet | Jenny Pernilla Rolland Mari-Anne Myrberget Tore Wergeland Meisingset |
| author_sort | Jenny Pernilla Rolland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aims. There are limited analytical descriptions of the assistive device situation in Norway for patients with ALS and other motor neuron diseases. This study is aimed at investigating how patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals (occupational therapists and physiotherapists) experience the assistive device situation. Methods. Twenty-four interviews were conducted with patients with motor neuron disease, caregivers, and healthcare professionals involved in procurement and adaptation of assistive devices. Systematic text condensation was used to analyse the interviews. Results. The majority of patients and caregivers had positive experiences of follow-up by the specialist healthcare service. Several found follow-up by the primary health service to be deficient owing to inadequate expertise, continuity, and resources. Healthcare professionals reported having a proactive approach to identifying needs for assistive devices, but for various reasons, application processes were often delayed. Several patients indicated a reluctance to use assistive devices and were ambivalent regarding proactivity. The availability of assistive devices for some functional impairments was described as inadequate. Some patients felt there was too little focus on sexuality in the follow-up. The respondents had a number of suggestions for improving the assistive device situation. Conclusions. Multidisciplinary ALS teams are found to ensure follow-up expertise and continuity. Healthcare professionals wish to take a proactive approach to assistive devices, but a number of bureaucratic obstacles occur. The study findings are preliminary and should be validated through a prospective national quality registry for motor neuron diseases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bf9b0f665dc44c5cab2c96494e57928f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0966-7903 1557-0703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Occupational Therapy International |
| spelling | doaj-art-bf9b0f665dc44c5cab2c96494e57928f2025-08-20T03:22:39ZengWileyOccupational Therapy International0966-79031557-07032021-01-01202110.1155/2021/55633435563343The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in NorwayJenny Pernilla Rolland0Mari-Anne Myrberget1Tore Wergeland Meisingset2Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Clinical Services, St. Olav’s University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, NorwayInstitute of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, NorwayAims. There are limited analytical descriptions of the assistive device situation in Norway for patients with ALS and other motor neuron diseases. This study is aimed at investigating how patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals (occupational therapists and physiotherapists) experience the assistive device situation. Methods. Twenty-four interviews were conducted with patients with motor neuron disease, caregivers, and healthcare professionals involved in procurement and adaptation of assistive devices. Systematic text condensation was used to analyse the interviews. Results. The majority of patients and caregivers had positive experiences of follow-up by the specialist healthcare service. Several found follow-up by the primary health service to be deficient owing to inadequate expertise, continuity, and resources. Healthcare professionals reported having a proactive approach to identifying needs for assistive devices, but for various reasons, application processes were often delayed. Several patients indicated a reluctance to use assistive devices and were ambivalent regarding proactivity. The availability of assistive devices for some functional impairments was described as inadequate. Some patients felt there was too little focus on sexuality in the follow-up. The respondents had a number of suggestions for improving the assistive device situation. Conclusions. Multidisciplinary ALS teams are found to ensure follow-up expertise and continuity. Healthcare professionals wish to take a proactive approach to assistive devices, but a number of bureaucratic obstacles occur. The study findings are preliminary and should be validated through a prospective national quality registry for motor neuron diseases.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5563343 |
| spellingShingle | Jenny Pernilla Rolland Mari-Anne Myrberget Tore Wergeland Meisingset The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in Norway Occupational Therapy International |
| title | The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in Norway |
| title_full | The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in Norway |
| title_fullStr | The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in Norway |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in Norway |
| title_short | The Assistive Device Situation for ALS Patients in Norway |
| title_sort | assistive device situation for als patients in norway |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5563343 |
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