Global availability of guidelines related to assistive technology: a scoping review.
Wei Zhang, Johan Borg
PMID 40342299WHAT IT FOUND
Across 24 guidelines, most cover mobility, hearing, vision, self-care and continence, but few address cognition or communication.
Many recommendations rest on weak evidence.
Key findings
01The review identified 24 relevant guidelines published in the past 15 years.
02Mobility products were covered by 14 guidelines, hearing by 6, self-care by 4, vision by 4, continence by 2, and environment modification by 2; cognitive and communication products were notably absent.
0321 of 24 guidelines recommended considering users' preferences and values, but the evidence supporting recommendations was generally weak.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only English-language guidelines were included, so relevant local guidelines in other languages may be missing. The search was limited to specific databases and the first 11 pages of Google Scholar, so guidelines indexed elsewhere, such as Overton, may be omitted. Fourteen relevant records could not be retrieved in full, either because the full text was not found or because it was not available in English. A document was included as a guideline only if the term guideline was used in the title or body, which may have excluded relevant guidance. This is a scoping review of guideline availability, not a trial of assistive technology outcomes, and the authors state that evidence supporting recommendations was generally weak.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that assistive technology guidelines are comprehensive or strong. The review found 24 guidelines, but many recommendations rest on weak evidence and cognitive and communication products were notably absent.