title: Assistive technology in developing countries: a review from the perspective of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The 'Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' (CRPD) requires governments to meet the assistive technology needs of citizens. However, the access to assistive technology in developing countries is severely limited, which is aggravated by a lack of related services.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To summarize current knowledge on assistive technology for low- and lower-middle-income countries published in 1995 or later, and to provide recommendations that facilitate implementation of the CRPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature was searched in web-based databases and reference lists. Studies carried out in low- and lower-middle-income countries, or addressing assistive technology for such countries, were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 52 included articles are dominated by product oriented research on leg prostheses and manual wheelchairs. Less has been published on hearing aids and virtually nothing on the broad range of other types of assistive technology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To support effective implementation of the CRPD in these countries, there is a need for actions and research related particularly to policies, service delivery, outcomes and international cooperation, but also to product development and production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The article has a potential to contribute to CRPD compliant developments in the provision of assistive technology in developing countries by providing practitioners with an overview of published knowledge and researchers with identified research needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden. johan@propempo.se
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borg
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindström
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Larsson
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000639:trends*; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000639:trends*