{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T18:48:39Z","timestamp":1791398919992,"version":"4.3.3"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,16]],"date-time":"2021-03-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1615852800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This paper aims to address the information gap on the influence of socio-demographic factors on access and utilization of Assistive Technology (AT) among children with disabilities in Malawi. Thus, it contributes towards the realization of the recommendations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities and the development of a framework for creating an effective national AT policy. The paper used two statistically matched datasets, namely, the 2017 survey on Living conditions among persons with disabilities in Malawi and the 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health survey. Logistic regression and structural equation modeling techniques were utilized to assess the influence of socio-demographic factors on the use of AT among children with disabilities. The results indicate that there is a high level of unmet need for AT among young children aged 2 to 9 and those living in urban areas. The results further indicate that children with multiple disabilities have lower odds (OR = 0.924) of using AT for personal mobility compared to children with a single functional difficulty. These results entail that AT needs for children with multiple disabilities are not adequately addressed. Therefore, when developing policies on AT, younger children and those with multiple disabilities need to be specifically targeted.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18063062","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,16]],"date-time":"2021-03-16T12:01:02Z","timestamp":1615896062000},"page":"3062","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Socio-Demographic Factors Influencing the Use of Assistive Technology among Children with Disabilities in Malawi"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Monica","family":"Jamali-Phiri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Social Research, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3329-6296","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ikenna D.","family":"Ebuenyi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Assisting Living &amp; Learning (ALL) Institute, Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, W23 F2K8 Maynooth, Ireland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emma M.","family":"Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Assisting Living &amp; Learning (ALL) Institute, Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, W23 F2K8 Maynooth, Ireland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juba Alyce","family":"Kafumba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Social Research, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Malcolm","family":"MacLachlan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Assisting Living &amp; Learning (ALL) Institute, Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, W23 F2K8 Maynooth, Ireland"},{"name":"Olomouc University Social Health Institute (OUSHI), Palack\u00fd University, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alister","family":"Munthali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Social Research, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eide, A.H., Mannan, H., Khogali, M., Van Rooy, G., Swartz, L., Munthali, A., Hem, K.-G., MacLachlan, M., and Dyrstad, K. (2015). Perceived barriers for accessing health services among individuals with disability in four African countries. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0125915"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"217","article-title":"Assistive technology use and stigma","volume":"1","author":"Parette","year":"2004","journal-title":"Educ. Train. Dev. Disabil."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2020, August 25). Assistive Technology. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/assistive-technology."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2229","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(15)01093-4","article-title":"Opening the GATE to inclusion for people with disabilities","volume":"10010","author":"Khasnabis","year":"2015","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1186\/s12992-016-0220-6","article-title":"Assistive products and the sustainable development goals (SDGs)","volume":"12","author":"Tebbutt","year":"2016","journal-title":"Glob. Health"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mji, G., and Edusei, A. (2019). An introduction to a special issue on the role of assistive technology in social inclusion of persons with disabilities in Africa: Outcome of the fifth African Network for Evidence-to-Action in Disability conference. Afr. J. Disabil., 8.","DOI":"10.4102\/ajod.v8i0.681"},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"1","article-title":"The use of assistive technologies among children with disabilities: The perception of parents of children with disabilities in Ghana","volume":"8","author":"Osam","year":"2019","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Ndiku Makewa, L., and Mutie, J. (2018). Assistive Technology for Managing Learners with Special Needs in Makueni County, Kenya. JRIIE, 2."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abiatal, L.K., and Howard, G.R. (2019, January 17\u201318). Constructivist Assistive Technology in a Mathematics Classroom for the Deaf: Going Digital at a Rural Namibian Primary School. Proceedings of the South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists, Skukuza, South Africa.","DOI":"10.1145\/3351108.3351136"},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Borg, J.B.-B., Khasnabis, C., Mitra, G., Myhill, W., and Raja, D. (2015). Assistive Technology for Children with Disabilities: Creating Opportunities for Education, Inclusion and Participation\u2014A Discussion Pape, WHO."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-018-3605-9","article-title":"Access to assistive technology in two Southern African countries","volume":"18","author":"Matter","year":"2018","journal-title":"Bmc Health Serv. Res."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Mwaijande, V.T. (2014). Access to Education and Assistive Devices for Children with Physical Disabilities in Tanzania, Oslo and Akershus University College."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"14","article-title":"Using Assistive Technology in Teaching Children with Learning Disabilities in the 21st Century","volume":"6","author":"Adebisi","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Educ. Pract."},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Eide, A.H., and Munthali, A. (2017). Living conditions among persons with disabilities in Malawi. Natl. Represent. Surv."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"Loeb, M., and Eide, A.H. (2004). Living Conditions among People with Activity Limitations in Malawi. A National Representative Study, SINTEF. SINTEF Rapport."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"705","DOI":"10.1080\/17483107.2016.1244293","article-title":"A description of assistive technology sources, services and outcomes of use in a number of African settings","volume":"12","author":"Visagie","year":"2017","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"1","article-title":"An overview of assistive technology products and services provided in Malawi","volume":"24","author":"Smith","year":"2020","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e040281","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2020-040281","article-title":"Implementation of the Assistive Product List (APL) in Malawi through development of appropriate policy and systems: An Action Research Protocol","volume":"10","author":"Ebuenyi","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"1","article-title":"Addressing data deficiencies in assistive technology by using statistical matching methodology: A case study from Malawi","volume":"9","author":"Kafumba","year":"2020","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"NSONM, I. (2017). Malawi Demographic and Health Survey 2015\u20132016, National Statistical Office."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"D\u2019Orazio, M. (2020, August 25). Statistical Matching and Imputation of Survey Data with the Package StatMatch for the R Environment. R Package Vignette. Available online: Http:\/\/www.Cros-Portal.Eu\/Sites\/Default\/Files\/\/Stat._Matching__Statmatch.Pdf."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"407","article-title":"Statistical matching: A paradigm for assessing the uncertainty in the procedure","volume":"17","author":"Moriarity","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Off. Stat."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"50","article-title":"Statistical matching of income and consumption expenditures","volume":"3","author":"Donatiello","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Econ. Sci."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"D\u2019Orazio, M. (2016). Statistical Matching and Imputation of Survey Data with StatMatch, Italian National Institute of Statistics."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"D\u2019Orazio, M., Di Zio, M., and Scanu, M. (2010, January 15\u201318). Old and new approaches in statistical matching when samples are drawn with complex survey designs. Proceedings of the 45th Riunione Scientifica della Societa\u2019Italiana di Statistica, Padova, Italy."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hosmer, D.W., and Lemeshow, S. (2000). Applied Logistic Regression, Wiley.","DOI":"10.1002\/0471722146"},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Mitchell, M.N. (2012). Interpreting and Visualizing Regression Models Using Stata, Stata Press."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1080\/10400435.2008.10131946","article-title":"Disparities in usage of assistive technology among people with disabilities","volume":"20","author":"Kaye","year":"2008","journal-title":"Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1177\/089826439400600204","article-title":"Mobility restriction and the use of devices among seniors","volume":"6","author":"Zimmer","year":"1994","journal-title":"J. Aging Health"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yeung, K.-T., Lin, C.-H., Teng, Y.-L., Chen, F.-F., Lou, S.-Z., and Chen, C.-L. (2016). Use of and self-perceived need for assistive devices in individuals with disabilities in Taiwan. PLoS ONE, 11.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0152707"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1080\/17483107.2016.1188170","article-title":"Assistive technology in resource-limited environments: A scoping review","volume":"12","author":"Matter","year":"2017","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3705946","DOI":"10.1155\/2018\/3705946","article-title":"Facilitators and barriers of assistive technology and learning environment for children with special needs","volume":"2018","author":"Lersilp","year":"2018","journal-title":"Occup. Ther. Int."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1002\/oti.213","article-title":"Barriers to the use of assistive technology for children with multiple disabilities","volume":"11","author":"Copley","year":"2004","journal-title":"Occup. Ther. Int."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"492","DOI":"10.1080\/17483107.2018.1472306","article-title":"Systems thinking for assistive technology: A commentary on the GREAT summit","volume":"13","author":"MacLachlan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"454","DOI":"10.1080\/17483107.2018.1468496","article-title":"Assistive technology policy: A position paper from the first global research, innovation, and education on assistive technology (GREAT) summit","volume":"13","author":"MacLachlan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/18\/6\/3062\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T05:36:36Z","timestamp":1760160996000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/18\/6\/3062"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,16]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,3]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph18063062"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph18063062","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,16]]}}}