A comprehensive mixed-methods study in The Lancet Regional Asia identifies three critical findings that reshape how clinicians and policymakers should approach assistive technology access in Sri Lanka and the broader South Asian region. First, age emerges as an independent and significant predictor of AT access difficulty, with older adults—particularly those over 65—experiencing the greatest barriers to device provision. Second, women systematically report higher obstacles to acquiring assistive devices compared to men across all age groups, reflecting underlying gender inequities in healthcare resource allocation. Third, rural-urban divides represent a structural barrier, with rural populations experiencing severe service deficits outside major urban centers.
These findings underscore that equitable AT access requires multifaceted reform addressing demographic vulnerabilities alongside geographic infrastructure gaps. Health systems must adopt integrated strategies that simultaneously tackle age-related clinical needs, gender-responsive service design, and rural health infrastructure development.
Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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