{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T21:04:29Z","timestamp":1790197469965,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,29]],"date-time":"2023-12-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1703808000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100007601","name":"Horizon 2020","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["688857"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["688857"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100007601","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>High rejection rates of upper limb prosthetics indicate that current prosthetic devices only partially meet user demands. This study therefore investigated the benefits and challenges with current prostheses, associated services and potential areas for improvement from the perspective of upper limb prosthesis users and various professionals working in the field of upper limb and hand prosthetics.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods and findings<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Seven different focus group discussions were conducted with 32 participants. Participants were grouped by prosthesis type, if they were prosthesis users, or professionals. All focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim, and a summarizing content analysis was performed. Three main topic areas to be addressed emerged from the interviews: 1. a properly functioning prosthesis, 2. the infrastructure, and 3. users\u2019 psychological and physical prerequisites. The interaction between a well-functioning prosthesis and a well-developed infrastructure was shown to be important for successful use.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Our study raises many of the same issues that have been reported in previous qualitative studies, dating back over several decades. This study underlines the need to include users and professionals in the future development of prosthetic devices.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0295516","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,29]],"date-time":"2023-12-29T18:28:55Z","timestamp":1703874535000},"page":"e0295516","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["What do users and their aiding professionals want from future devices in upper limb prosthetics? A focus group study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-5934-1190","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ann-Kathrin","family":"Einfeldt","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Franziska","family":"Rebmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dawei","family":"Yao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christina","family":"Stukenborg-Colsmann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christof","family":"Hurschler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Henning","family":"Windhagen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3356-9207","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Eike","family":"Jakubowitz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0295516.ref001","first-page":"1","volume":"2020","author":"Statistisches Bundesamt","year":"2019","journal-title":"Fallpauschalenbezogene Krankenhausstatistik (DRG-Statistik): Operationen und Prozeduren der vollstation\u00e4ren Patientinnen und Patienten in Krankenh\u00e4usern (4-Steller) -"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0295516.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.1080\/17434440.2018.1470505","article-title":"Identifying and prioritizing concerns associated with prosthetic devices for use in a benefit-risk assessment: a mixed-methods approach.","volume":"15","author":"EM Janssen","year":"2018","journal-title":"Expert Review of Medical Devices"},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.2147\/ORR.S71468","article-title":"New developments in prosthetic arm systems.","volume":"8","author":"I Vujaklija","year":"2016","journal-title":"ORR"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0295516.ref004","first-page":"346","article-title":"Consumer design priorities for upper limb prosthetics.","volume":"2","author":"E Biddiss","year":"2007","journal-title":"Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology"},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2016.00209","article-title":"Literature Review on Needs of Upper Limb Prosthesis Users.","volume":"10","author":"F Cordella","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front. Neurosci"},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref006","article-title":"Qualitative Gesundheitsforschung: Beispiele aus der interdisziplin\u00e4ren Forschungspraxis.","author":"C. Detka","year":"2016","journal-title":"1st ed. Leverkusen-Opladen: Budrich Barbara"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0295516.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"706","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dhjo.2019.03.009","article-title":"Priorities for the design and control of upper limb prostheses: A focus group study","volume":"12","author":"JY Zheng","year":"2019","journal-title":"Disability and Health Journal"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0295516.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0220899","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0220899","article-title":"Users\u2019 and therapists\u2019 perceptions of myoelectric multi-function upper limb prostheses with conventional and pattern recognition control.","volume":"14","author":"AW Franzke","year":"2019","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref009","first-page":"287","article-title":"Upper extremity prosthesis user perspectives on unmet needs and innovative technology.","author":"HL Benz","year":"2016","journal-title":"In: 2016 38th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC). IEEE"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0295516.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"719","DOI":"10.1682\/JRRD.2010.08.0161","article-title":"Myoelectric forearm prostheses: state of the art from a user-centered perspective","volume":"48","author":"B Peerdeman","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Rehabil Res Dev"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0295516.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1141","DOI":"10.1109\/TRO.2018.2830407","article-title":"Toward Dexterous Manipulation With Augmented Adaptive Synergies: The Pisa\/IIT SoftHand 2","volume":"34","author":"C Della Santina","year":"2018","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Robot"},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref012","article-title":"Gruppenexperiment: Ein Studienbericht.","author":"F Pollock","year":"1955","journal-title":"2. Auflage. Frankfurt am Main: Europ. Verl.-Anst."},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref013","article-title":"Die Qualit\u00e4t qualitativer Daten: Manual f\u00fcr die Durchf\u00fchrung qualitativer Interviews.","author":"C. Helfferich","year":"2011","journal-title":"4. Auflage. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag"},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref014","article-title":"Rekonstruktive Sozialforschung. Einf\u00fchrung in Methodologie und Praxis qualitativer Sozialforschung","author":"R. Bohnsack","year":"1993","journal-title":"Opladen: Leske + Budrich;"},{"key":"pone.0295516.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"633","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-658-21308-4_42","volume-title":"Handbuch Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung. 2., vollst\u00e4ndig \u00fcberarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage","author":"P Mayring","year":"2019"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0295516.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apmr.2007.11.005","article-title":"Estimating the prevalence of limb loss in the United States: 2005 to 2050.","volume":"89","author":"K Ziegler-Graham","year":"2008","journal-title":"Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0295516.ref017","article-title":"Epidemiologic Overview of Individuals with Upper-Limb Loss and Their Reported Research Priorities.","volume":"8","author":"DJ Atkins","year":"1996","journal-title":"JPO: Journal of Prosthetics and Orthotics"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0295516.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.3109\/03093649309164376","article-title":"Consumer concerns and the functional value of prostheses to upper limb amputees.","volume":"17","author":"GH Kejlaa","year":"1993","journal-title":"Prosthetics & Orthotics International"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0295516.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1177\/0309364617704801","article-title":"The influence of environment: Experiences of users of myoelectric arm prosthesis-a qualitative study","volume":"42","author":"C Widehammar","year":"2018","journal-title":"Prosthet Orthot Int"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0295516.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1781","DOI":"10.2106\/00004623-199312000-00007","article-title":"Myoelectric prostheses. A long-term follow-up and a study of the use of alternate prostheses.","volume":"75","author":"DH Silcox","year":"1993","journal-title":"The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0295516.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"236","DOI":"10.1080\/03093640600994581","article-title":"Upper limb prosthesis use and abandonment: a survey of the last 25 years","volume":"31","author":"EA Biddiss","year":"2007","journal-title":"Prosthet Orthot Int"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0295516.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jht.2015.01.013","article-title":"Forearm amputees\u2019 views of prosthesis use and sensory feedback","volume":"28","author":"U Wijk","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of Hand Therapy"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0295516.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1017\/S0263574704001328","article-title":"Objectives and technological approach to the development of the multifunctional MANUS upper limb prosthesis","volume":"23","author":"JL Pons","year":"2005","journal-title":"Robotica"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0295516.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1080\/09638280410001645094","article-title":"Evaluation of prosthetic usage in upper limb amputees.","volume":"26","author":"I Dudkiewicz","year":"2004","journal-title":"Disability and Rehabilitation"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0295516.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"629","DOI":"10.1017\/S0266462317000836","article-title":"Participatory design of pediatric upper limb prostheses: qualitative methods and prototyping","volume":"33","author":"T Sims","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J Technol Assess Health Care"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0295516.ref026","first-page":"342","article-title":"A survey on what Australians with upper limb difference want in a prosthesis: justification for using soft robotics and additive manufacturing for customized prosthetic hands.","volume":"15","author":"B Stephens-Fripp","year":"2020","journal-title":"Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0295516","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,29]],"date-time":"2023-12-29T18:29:16Z","timestamp":1703874556000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0295516"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Noman","family":"Naseer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,29]]},"references-count":26,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,29]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0295516","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,29]]}}}