PhD in Prosthetics and Orthotics
Doctor of Philosophy
| Status | Current |
|---|---|
| Part Time | No |
| Years | 2021 - 2025 |
| Project Title | EXPLORING UNMET NEEDS IN PROSTHETIC AND ORTHOTIC SERVICE PROVISION: PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES IN TANZANIA |
| Project Description | The majority of P&O users live and work in low/middle-income contexts. These settings are very varied in the challenges they pose for those delivering services and devices and the needs that users experience. Research is required to solve these challenges, but there are so many possible research priorities that the impact of the research may be limited if research is poorly focussed (e.g., in niche areas not reflective of user needs), poorly informed (e.g., by needs associated with local occupations) or poorly timed (i.e., researching prosthetic devices before there are sustainable services to deliver them). There is a need for formal evaluation of user-led priorities for the P&O sector in low resource settings. This project aims to develop user-defined priorities and evidence to underpin future research and innovation activities for P&O service provision in Tanzania. In addition to identifying ‘what’ the research priorities are, the PhD will research the ‘why’ these are priorities through creating an understanding of the needs of prosthetic and orthotic users and practitioners. Furthermore, through frugal innovation, the user-defined priorities developed in a Tanzanian context could potentially inform research priority areas in other LMICs and globally. |
| Awarding Institution | The University of Salford |
| Director of Studies | Yeliz Prior |
| Second Supervisor | Louise Ackers |