Abstract Purpose:
The aim was to explore the relationships between difficulties in the use of everyday technology (ET) and the ability to perform activities of daily life (ADL) in the home and in society and in the workplace in people with acquired brain injury (ABI).
Method:
The investigation comprises an explorative cross-sectional study of 74 people with ABI. The short version of the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (S-ETUQ) and a revised version of the ADL taxonomy were used to evaluate the participants. Rasch-generated person ability measures of ET use and ADL were used in correlation analyses, in group comparisons by ANOVA and in logistic regressions.
Results:
Difficulty in the use of ET was significantly correlated with ADL limitations. People who worked full- or part-time had significantly higher ability to use ET than those with some type of full-time, long-term sickness compensation. The ability to use ET, ADL ability and age were significantly related to return to work.
Conclusion:
The ability to use ET is related to all areas of everyday functioning in people with ABI. Therefore, a patient’s ability to use ET needs to be considered in rehabilitation strategies following an ABI to enhance the patient’s performance of activities in the home and in society and to support his or her likelihood of returning to work.
- Implications for Rehabilitation Ability to use everyday technology (ET) needs to be considered in rehabilitation following an ABI as difficulty in ET use is significantly related to the abilities of people with acquired brain injury (ABI) in all areas of everyday functioning (P/I ADL, leisure and work).
- The assessment S-ETUQ can assist professionals in screening and identifying ET that clients perceive supporting or challenging their everyday functioning.
- With respect to the Information and communication society of today, the match between users abilities and ET is important knowledge in designing an e-accessible and e-inclusive society for people with disabilities.
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