Cost effects of assistive devices on the household welfare of persons with disabilities in Kakamega County, Kenya

Abstract

This study analysed the relationship between the cost of assistive devices and the household welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Kakamega County, Kenya. The main objective of the study was to investigate the cost effects of assistive devices on household welfare for PWDs in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study had two specific objectives: to find out the effects of the economic costs of assistive devices and labour costs of assistive devices on the household welfare for persons with disabilities in Kakamega, Kenya. This study was limited to the social model theory of disability. The period from 2020 to 2022 encompasses the onset and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had significant economic, social, and health impacts globally and in Kenya. The pandemic intensified challenges for persons with disabilities, such as increased costs of healthcare, limited mobility due to lockdowns, and disruptions in the supply chain for assistive devices. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The study target was the 1110 registered PWDs in Kakamega County. The proportionate sampling technique was used to get the 113-sample size. A closed-ended questionnaire was used to collect the data. A pilot study was undertaken in Vihiga County to pre-test the validity and reliability of the study. The SPSS software version 20 was used to analyse the data. Anonymity, consent and confidentiality were adhered to. The study applied both descriptive and inferential statistics. Frequency tables, percentages, as well as correlations and regressions were used to present and analyse the data. The findings generally indicated that most persons with disabilities found assistive devices unaffordable, whether for purchase, maintenance, repair, or replacement of parts. Consequently, households often faced the difficult choice between supporting their PWD siblings and participating in their own economic activities. As a result, many households experienced economic downturns, as they expended significant time or financial resources assisting their PWD siblings with assistive devices, often at the expense of engaging in other productive activities. Ultimately, households bore this cost by struggling to participate in other gainful socio-economic pursuits. These outcomes were affirmed by regression analysis, which showed that labour costs of assistive devices were significantly associated with improved household welfare (β = 0.169, p = 0.004), while economic cost was not (p = 0.695). Among demographic factors, primary disability type (β = -0.245, p < 0.001) and highest education level attained (β = 0.873, p < 0.001) significantly influenced household welfare, whereas age, gender, and marital status did not have a significant effect. The findings underscore the importance of education and the affordability of assistive devices for PWD households. The study recommends increasing the availability of cost-effective and efficient assistive devices in households. There is also a need for collective responsibility to initiate reasonable and expanded interventions that would empower vulnerable PWD households in Kakamega County.