The Long-Term Effects of a Medical Intervention: Determinants and Implications of Orthotic Equipment Failure in Uganda

Abstract

The study evaluates the long-term impact of a medical intervention for adults with disabilities in Uganda. Using a discrete time hazard model, the analysis examines the speed at which the orthotic devices failed and evaluates how personal characteristics and clinical factors acted as potential risk markers of early equipment failure. The study finds that 37% of the participants still used their equipment 6 years after fitting and that women, older individuals, and those with access to follow-up care had a lower risk of equipment failure. The study also analyses the implications of orthotics failure on life satisfaction, health-related quality of life, and severity of disability, which are designed to measure subjective wellbeing. Notably, the results indicate that access to follow-up care improves functional efficiency, while failure of the orthosis consistently acts as a negative correlate of wellbeing.