Affiliations: [a] Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain | [b] Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia | [c] Instituto Universitario de Ingeniería Mecánica y Biomecánica, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain | [d] Grupo de Tecnología Sanitaria del IBV, CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Ena Bula-Oyola, Universidad del Norte, Km. 5 vía Puerto Colombia, 51820, Barranquilla, Colombia. E-mail: oyolae@uninorte.edu.co.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: People with peripheral neuropathies suffer significant sensorimotor impairment. Prescribed treatment includes the use of orthosis. However, a common obstacle to treatment efficacy is patient adherence. Given the limited information available, gathering evidence on adherence to orthotic treatment is essential. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify aspects that influence adherence to orthotic treatment in patients with peripheral neuropathies. METHODS: We applied a survey including items from the assistive device evaluation section of Quest 2.0 and self-developed questions to assess the importance and satisfaction of wrist-hand orthosis users. We used the principles of the Kano model to understand the nature of issues influencing adherence and prioritize opportunities for product improvement. RESULTS: User satisfaction with the ease of adjustment, weight, comfort, effectiveness, durability, dimensions, and appearance of orthoses influences treatment adherence. CONCLUSIONS: We found differences in estimating the importance of orthosis aspects from direct consultation and estimation from the satisfaction-adherence correlation. Satisfaction is an indirect measure of importance and an adequate predictor of adherence. The application of Kano’s model allows a more precise identification of the influence of orthosis attributes on adherence. This method describes relationships between aspects that are not discernible in linear models.
Keywords: Hand, orthosis, adherence, satisfaction, QUEST 2.0, Kano’s model
