Barriers to assistive technology uptake among persons with disabilities in selected urban districts in Ghana

"Assistive technology'' (hereinafter AT) refers to equipment, products, and software designed or adapted to assist individuals to perform a specific task they might otherwise find difficult. AT is gradually becoming a fundamental human right across the globe. This is reinforced in international frameworks such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, the lack of empirical data on the prevalence and usage of AT in Ghana poses a significant barrier for policymakers to develop mainstream interventions for disability. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional survey design to examine the prevalence of AT and barriers to its use among 189 persons with mobility and visual impairments in four selected districts in the Ashanti region. The results indicated a relatively high AT utilisation rate of 66% among urban dwellers with disabilities. AT use is lower among women compared to men, with respective utilisation rates of 43.4% and 56.6%. About half of the mobility-impaired participants (50.4%) and 44% of the visually impaired participants identified high device costs as a major barrier. Difficulties in device use (21%) and stigma associated with AT (23.8%) further limited effective adoption. The study underscores the importance of enhancing the equitable distribution of assistive technologies in Ghana.