Biomedical subjects

Agneta Fänge

Publications and source records attributed to Agneta Fänge.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Changes in accessibility and usability in housing: an exploration of the housing adaptation process.

The purpose of a housing adaptation is to enhance daily activities and to improve housing accessibility and usability by removing physical barriers in the home. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinal changes in housing accessibility among clients receiving grants for housing adaptations. Baseline assessments were administered one month before the housing adaptation, with the first follow-up after two to three months, and the second follow-up after eight to nine months. The Housing Enabler and the Usability in My Home instruments were used to collect data from 131 consecutively enrolled clients living in general housing. Accessibility and usability improved significantly, the number of physical environmental barriers decreased and dependence on mobility devices increased, but at different times along the process. The results indicate the complexity of the housing adaptation process and the need to consider person-environment interactions over time. The methodology seems useful for quality development of assessment, intervention and evaluation processes in housing adaptations performed by occupational therapists.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2004

Statistical assessment of changes in ADL dependence: three-graded versus dichotomised scaling.

The aim of this study was to investigate how dichotomising three-graded ADL Staircase data affects the possibility of detecting changes in ADL dependence between different assessment occasions. An authentic two-occasion data set was used as a basis for a simulation experiment. In all, we used four different data treatment principles, all utilising the matched pairing of the data. The first principle utilised a sum score technique, and the second within-person comparisons by means of item-by-item analysis of improvement or deterioration. The third principle used ADL ranks, a novel approach, while the fourth used within-item ranks. Independently of the data treatment principle used, the statistical power of all tests was reduced by 13-24% after dichotomisation, compared to when the three-graded scale was utilised. The results indicate that dichotomising ADL Staircase data results in information loss, and hence in reduced ability to detect changes. The need to consider the purpose of the ADL assessment before reducing the number of scale steps is highlighted. The knowledge generated in this study is useful for practitioners and researchers, aiming at evaluating rehabilitation interventions.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2003

Accessibility and usability in housing: construct validity and implications for research and practice.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to validate the conceptual definitions of accessibility and usability, and to explore differences between objective accessibility assessments and subjective ratings of usability in different client groups. METHOD: The Housing Enabler and the Usability in My Home instruments were used for 131 persons above 18 years of age, living in ordinary housing and receiving a housing adaptation grant. Covariation between accessibility in four different housing sections and three different usability aspects were explored, for the total sample and for six sub-samples reflecting person-environment-activity transactions or demographic factors. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found in the total sample, among clients aged 75-84, women, clients living alone, as well as among clients with high dependence in personal and instrumental ADL and in outdoor activities. Subjective usability evaluations of activity aspects and physical environmental aspects were correlated to accessibility indoors and outdoors, while personal and social aspects of usability were correlated to outdoor accessibility. CONCLUSIONS: Accessibility and usability are concluded to be different but related concepts. The results indicate that e.g. age, civil status and ADL dependence affect how clients assess aspects of their housing situation. For efficient planning and evaluation of housing adaptations, assessment of housing accessibility, usability, and dependence in ADL is recommended.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2002

Accessibility to the public environment as perceived by teenagers with functional limitations in a south Swedish town centre.

PURPOSE: Owing to physical inaccessibility persons with mobility restrictions and other functional limitations often face problems in public environments, leading to restrictions in activity and participation. To investigate general accessibility and perceived problems of accessibility to the public environment in a town centre, as well as visiting preferences to public facilities, among teenagers with functional limitations. METHODS: An interview questionnaire specific to a south Swedish town was constructed and used with 33 Swedish teenagers with functional limitations. RESULTS: To a varying degree, all 33 teenagers commented on accessibility problems, e.g. concerning uneven surface material outdoors, steps at entrances, heavy doors and restricted space indoors. The results also indicated that teenagers with functional limitations to a high extent want to visit the same environments as other teenagers, but that it is often impossible owing to accessibility problems. Furthermore, because of accessibility problems, many of the teenagers were dependent on personal assistance. CONCLUSION: Inaccessibility results in dependence, which might affect personal development negatively, and much effort are required in order to ensure activity and societal participation. Efficient priorities in public environment accessibility matters and discussions with the actors involved require valid and reliable data on local accessibility problems.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in ADL dependence and aspects of usability following housing adaptation--a longitudinal perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate longitudinal changes in activities of daily living (ADL) dependence and aspects of usability in housing among clients receiving housing adaptation grants in Sweden. METHODS: The ADL Staircase and the Usability in My Home instruments were used to collect data on three occasions: at baseline 1 month before housing adaptation, at follow-ups 2 to 3 months after housing adaptation completion, and after another 6 to 7 months. In all, 131 clients, living in ordinary housing 24 to 93 years of age were consecutively enrolled. RESULTS: Overall ADL dependence did not change significantly whereas dependence in "Bathing" decreased over time. "Activity aspects" and "Personal and social aspects" of usability improved at different phases in the process. CONCLUSION: This study delivers new insights about the complexity of longitudinal person-environment-activity transactions, specifically targeting activity and usability. The results are useful for developing efficient strategies for evaluating housing adaptations within occupational therapy practice and research.

Activities of Daily Living↗