Improving access to mobility related assistive devices for hip fracture patients in The Gambia

Assistive devices can have a positive impact on the health and well-being of a person with limited mobility and their
family. Given population aging and the inevitable rise in non-communicable disease prevalence, WHO has
projected that global assistive technology needs will rise to 2 billion by 2030. Despite this urgent, unmet need,
reliable data on assistive technology are scarce. Furthermore, Preliminary findings from [Fractures E3] study,
suggest that fragility fractures in South Africa, The Gambia, and Zimbabwe may have life-changing impacts on
individuals and families. Findings specifically from The Gambia indicate that some people who have sustained hip
fractures have no or limited access to mobility-related assistive devices. The proposed PhD broadly aims to identify
outcomes and access to resources following hip fracture, according to care pathways, and develop novel
approaches to improving access to mobility-related assistive devices.
To meet these aims I propose to i) Undertake a retrospective cohort study of hip fracture patients in The Gambia to
estimate patient and health-related outcomes across traditional and modern hip fracture care pathways ii) Conduct
qualitative interviews in selected areas of rural and urban Gambia to identify the barriers to receiving assistive
devices iii) Conduct a feasibility study for the participatory co-design of an intervention or strategy to improve
access to assistive devices for hip fracture patients in The Gambia.