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- Title
Stigma and the use of umbrellas, hiking poles and walking sticks to aid walking in Hong Kong.
- Authors
Maximo, Tulio; Fong, Kenneth NK; Lau, Newman ML
- Abstract
Background: The use of walking aids is widely acknowledged as one of the most relied-on forms of assistive technology. Using stick-shaped devices, such as a cane, is often the entrance for many people to the world of assistive technologies, often accompanied by the negative stigma associated with ageing and disability. Objectives: This study investigated the perception of disability and needs of the Hong Kong population using walking aids, aiming to inform device design and service provision. Methods: We observed 391 individuals using cane-like devices in their natural environment and conducted semi-structured interviews with 28 participants to understand stigma, barriers to acquisition, training, and design requirements. Results: Half of the interviewees (50%, n = 14) did not feel disabled when using a walking stick, while 39% felt slightly disabled. 56% of the observed sample used non-medical-looking aids like hiking poles or umbrellas. Most interviewees (79%) purchased off-the-shelf devices, but less than half received seller support in choosing appropriate aids. Conclusion: The feelings associated with using walking sticks and similar devices are mostly positive. There is a preference in Hong Kong for using devices without a medical appearance to aid walking, such as umbrellas and hiking poles. There is a need to raise awareness of the risks of using umbrellas to aid walking and empower the user to make informed decisions when purchasing walking aid devices. In addition, there is a need to support the supply chain of walking aids, including umbrellas and hiking poles, to provide more information on device use, misuse, training, and maintenance.
- Subjects
HONG Kong (China); PATIENT education; HEALTH literacy; RISK assessment; SENSES; SELF-efficacy; THERAPEUTICS; RESEARCH funding; PRODUCT design; MEDICAL care; INTERVIEWING; STAFFS (Sticks, canes, etc.); ETHNOLOGY research; VISUAL analog scale; SURFACE properties; ATTITUDES toward disabilities; ORTHOPEDIC apparatus; EMOTIONS; ACQUISITION of property; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; SALES personnel; PHOTOGRAPHY; WALKING; THEMATIC analysis; RESEARCH methodology; NEEDS assessment; PATIENT decision making; SOCIAL support; CONFIDENCE intervals; DATA analysis software; GROUNDED theory; MEDICAL equipment reliability; PEOPLE with disabilities; PATIENTS' attitudes; SOCIAL stigma
- Publication
Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2024, Vol 37, Issue 1, p52
- ISSN
1569-1861
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/15691861241254862