Towards the Development of a Policy of Recycling Assistive Technology for People Living with a Disability

Abstract

Assistive technology (AT) or assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, bathroom safety equipment and lift systems, constitute one type of equipment used to maximise independence for disabled people and fragile elderly people. The practice of recycling health care equipment has been increasingly considered to be a cost-effective and feasible means to meet consumer needs, but this has not been addressed for AT. Many countries in Europe and some Canadian provinces have recycling programmes for AT yet little is known about all the issues related to this practice, particularly from the perspectives of the various players involved. Some occupational therapists are proactive in this area but the majority are waiting for the government to start the recycling. Even if occupational therapists consider recycling AT to be a good idea, they still need political and administrative support to build an efficient practice of recycling. In November 1996, a special council in the Canadian province of Quebec recommended that rigorous procedures be put in place to recycle AT within the public health insurance system and in institutions funded by the provincial ministry of health. The aim of this article is to document the conditions necessary for the successful implementation of a recycling policy for AT in this province. A qualitative study was conducted with 22 experts in the industry, health and community sectors. Using a conceptual model of health systems, 33 elements and 99 basic factors were identified as important for the content and strategies employed in a policy of recycling AT. These elements are distributed among the technocratic, professional, market and political worlds. The discussion recommends intersectoral collaboration that takes into account the different perspectives of the various stakeholders that would be affected by a policy of recycling AT. The role of occupational therapists is also explored concerning recycling AT.