Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies
Date Submitted: Sep 4, 2022
Date Accepted: Oct 20, 2022
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Determining the technology acceptance and usability of a new device for hand therapy: A qualitative description study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Upper extremity function is critical for daily living across domains; this may include completing activities of daily living, employment, and participating in recreational activities. The FEPSim device is a medical device for hand and wrist rehabilitation which can be adjusted according to the patient’s requirements in rehabilitation. Furthermore, the FEPSim can be used to assess the patient’s strength and range of motion of the forearm, wrist, and hand. At present, the acceptance and usability of the FEPSim have not been tested in a clinical setting, with limited perspectives from rehabilitation-providing clinicians
Objective:
To understand the factors related to the acceptance and usability of the FEPSim device. Upper limb disorders are prevalent across populations. The impact of upper limb disorders, both acute and chronic, puts a significant burden on the Canadian healthcare system
Methods:
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted that involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews with hand therapists from hand therapy services who used the FEPSim device. We used purposive sampling to recruit ten participants over a period of fourteen months. Semi-structured interview questions (topic guided) examined the technology acceptance and usability of the FEPSim device.
Results:
Six factors were found to be critical aspects of the acceptance and usability of the FEPSim device. These factors were useful for therapy, effortlessness, environmental conditions, internal encouragement, technological aesthetics, and use.
Conclusions:
The FEPSim device was widely accepted by therapists. The use of the FEPSim device is a feasible alternative for supporting hand therapy. Clinical Trial: Not applicable
Citation
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