Usability and User Satisfaction With a Prototype Weighted Glove in People With Parkinson’s Disease: An Exploratory Secondary Analysis

BackgroundUpper-limb impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD) can affect reaching, grasping, object manipulation, and other activities required for functional independence.Wearable and glove-based rehabilitation devices may provide opportunities for upper-limb training; however, their clinical potential should be considered alongside the user's experience.This study evaluated user-reported usability and satisfaction with a prototype weighted glove following two weeks of structured upper-limb rehabilitation in people with PD. MethodsThis exploratory secondary analysis used previously unpublished post-intervention usability data from a previously conducted single-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study.Fifteen people with PD who completed a two-week structured upper-limb rehabilitation programme while using the prototype weighted glove were included.Glove loading ranged from 600 to 700 g and was selected according to individual comfort, physical capacity, movement quality, and verbal feedback.The glove was worn throughout supervised rehabilitation sessions conducted six days per week for 45-60 minutes per session.Following the intervention, perceptions were assessed using the Assistive Technology Usability Questionnaire for People With Neurological Diseases (NATU Quest).Quantitative responses were summarized descriptively, and open-ended responses were reviewed descriptively for recurring areas of feedback. ResultsThe mean age was 67.07 ± 7.70 years; 10 participants (66.7%) were male, and five (33.3%) were female.The mean overall NATU Quest score was 4.28 ± 0.32 out of 5.The highest-rated items were ease of learning (4.73 ± 0.46), perceived safety and security (4.67 ± 0.49), and overall satisfaction (4.60 ± 0.51).Physical comfort/fatigue received the lowest score (3.33 ± 0.72).Open-ended feedback suggested potential improvements in weight adjustability, fit, padding, fastening, fatigue, and suitability for everyday activities.All 15 participants completed the intervention and NATU Quest, and no adverse events were reported. ConclusionsIn this small exploratory cohort, the prototype weighted glove received generally high user-reported usability and satisfaction ratings after two weeks of supervised use.Comfort and fatigue were the main areas identified for further refinement.NATU Quest has no validated usability cut-off, and this study had no comparator or assessment of independent long-term use.Therefore, the findings describe short-term participant perceptions and should not be interpreted as evidence of clinical efficacy, superiority, or safety during independent use.