Compliance with Prescribed Adaptive Equipment: A Literature Review

This article describes a literature review that examined the topic of the postdischarge compliance of individuals with prescribed adaptive equipment. Assisting individuals to accomplish tasks relevant to their activities of daily living and thereby achieve functional independence is central to the role of occupational therapy. The prescription of adaptive equipment is a frequently used intervention. The rationale for prescribing adaptive equipment is that it maximises a client's functional potential, allows for independence in activities of daily living and fosters confidence as a result of being able to accomplish such tasks. All studies that surveyed compliance with prescribed adaptive equipment between 1963 and 1996 were reviewed. The factors that reportedly affect compliance by individuals can be considered under five discrete categories: medical-related, client-related, equipment-related, assessment-related and training-related. On the basis of the findings of this literature review, recommendations are made for further research, specifically investigating methods that therapists could incorporate into current practice to address the problem of non-compliance with prescribed adaptive equipment.