An indicators framework to evaluate assistive technology impacts on society in emerging countries

Purpose of the article: The World Health Organisation indicates that approximately 1.3 billion people live with disabilities, many of whom face social and environmental barriers that may hinder their full participation in society. Assistive Technology (AT) is an essential tool for promoting autonomy and reducing inequalities. However, evaluating its real impact on users' lives remains challenging, particularly in heterogeneous socioeconomic contexts, such as those in emerging economies. In this context, the objective of this article is to propose an indicators framework to measure and evaluate the impacts of AT development and dissemination on society in emerging countries.

Materials and methods: To develop the framework, a Systematic Literature Review was conducted, which identified 14 dimensions of impact and 40 indicators to measure the societal impacts of AT. 15 AT experts evaluated these indicators, and the importance of the impact dimensions was assessed with 15 AT users. The Fuzzy Delphi process refined the initial set of indicators, retaining 28. Simultaneously, a preliminary application of Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) demonstrated how user-derived priorities can be incorporated into the framework, generating an example set of impact weights rather than generalisable population estimates.

Results and conclusions: The framework integrates user prioritisation, going beyond traditional functional metrics, and incorporates psychosocial and quality-of-life dimensions. Practical implications include supporting decision-making for developers, managers, policymakers, and AT stakeholders, while reinforcing the importance of incorporating users' experiential knowledge into AT evaluation and development processes.