A cross-sectional study will support this research project, using a nonprobability sample of AT users in Benin. The participants will be evaluated by multiple teams of recruiters, with two recruiters assigned to each department in Benin. Recruiters will be selected based on specific criteria: (1) being a health professional, (2) having experience in participant recruitment, and (3) fluency in French and one of the local languages spoken in the covered area. They will receive training on the questionnaires and assessment methods that will be used in this study. Participants will be identified through the Fédération des Associations des Personnes Handicapées du Bénin (FAPHB). FAPHB is a national network that brings together all associations of individuals who are disabled, whether they use ATs or not, residing in one of Benin’s regions or departments. FAPHB maintains a register of individuals who are disabled and who are regularly identified as such. A formal request will be made to FAPHB to establish contact with those among them who use ATs. In addition, participants will be recruited from hospital rehabilitation units and community rehabilitation centers across various regions in Benin. Before recruitment, authorization will be requested from these centers. Textbox 1 displays the inclusion and exclusion criteria that will be followed.

The planned sample size for this study was calculated using the Cochran formula with a margin of error of 5% and an unknown population of AT users. A total of 384 participants will need to be recruited to allow for the generalization of our future results. A description of how this estimate was calculated is provided in Multimedia Appendix 1. Given that there are 12 departments in Benin, a maximum of 32 potential participants could be recruited from each department. However, the number of participants to be recruited in each region will be weighted according to the density of each region. For example, in the most populous departments (ie, urban and semiurban cities), more than 32 participants could be recruited, and in the least populous departments (ie, villages and small cities), fewer than 32 participants could be recruited on an equitable basis to achieve the desired sample size.

Once identified, AT users will be contacted by phone or met in person (at their homes or in rehabilitation centers) to receive a brief explanation of this study’s project. Participants who wish to take part in this study will receive a detailed information letter describing this study’s protocol. Assessments will be scheduled according to participants’ availability and will last approximately 1 hour. Regular breaks will be scheduled to minimize the risk of fatigue during assessments.

First, a form will be used to collect sociodemographic data from participants, including age, sex, gender, and level of education, as well as information about their use of ATs.The form is based on specific items from the rATA (rapid assistive technology assessment) developed by the WHO and published in 2022. The goal of the rATA is to provide a quick assessment of the needs, demands, supply, and satisfaction of AT users [30].

Second, the participants will undergo assessment using standardized tools or methods to determine their psycho-affective status, satisfaction with the assistive devices, perception of the functional effects of the devices, well-being, and QoL. These outcome measures have been selected from among the most widely used worldwide, according to the different domains and subdomains of the CATOR taxonomy (Figure 1 [8]). The following section describes the selected instruments:

In the case where participants fail to respond to all questions on the various questionnaires, they will be contacted without delay to ascertain the reason for this and to update the data accordingly. Otherwise, their data will not be included in the analysis.

The intended study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Parakou in Benin (257/2024/CLERB-UP/P/SP/R/SA) and will be conducted per the prescribed guidelines. There will be no financial compensation for this study, and each participant will be required to sign a consent form before being assessed. All data collected as part of this study will be treated as strictly confidential. Participants will be identified by a number to preserve their anonymity. Files will be securely kept and destroyed after 5 years from the end of data collection. Personal information will not be disclosed in public documents, and all necessary precautions will be taken to avoid any disclosure.

The data from completed questionnaires will be entered into Microsoft Excel 2021 (Microsoft Corp) to create a database, which will then be analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 26; IBM Corp) software. The results will be presented in tables and figures to highlight the sample’s particularities. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean and SD, or median (IQR) will be used to summarize sociodemographic data. Student t test or one-way ANOVA will be used to compare normally distributed numerical variables. Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients will be used to determine any relationships between variables. Multivariate linear regressions will be used to determine any associative links between the measured variables.

The main results of the assessments using the different outcome measures described above will be organized using the CATOR taxonomy on aspects relating to the effectiveness and social significance of the use of ATs, as well as the subjective well-being of users [8], as shown in Figure 1. The evaluations will be limited to the fully dark-written CATOR domains and subdomains (Figure 1). In CATOR domain 1 (effectiveness), the different impacts and implications of ATs use in everyday activities and participation in social or community life, as well as environmental barriers and facilitators, will be reported. A quantitative assessment of the level of assistance received from others in the installation and use of ATs will be reported in CATOR domain 2 (social significance). This will also include an evaluation of the cost, frequency, rate, duration, and manner of use of ATs. Finally, the CATOR domain 3 (subjective well-being) will encompass all the results of the assessment of the psychosocial impact of ATs, satisfaction with ATs and with life, and overall QoL. The relationships between the results obtained in the 3 domains will be investigated to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the profile of AT users in Benin.

Given the growing importance attributed to worldwide data regarding the use of ATs by individuals with disabilities in their daily lives [2], it is imperative to assess these devices across diverse settings or environments to ascertain their real effects on the lives of these individuals, especially in resource-limited countries. Understanding these effects could be useful for selecting ATs, involving potential users in the decision-making process, and enhancing the accessibility of ATs in line with global priorities defined by WHO and UNICEF [2]. We therefore intend to evaluate the effects of ATs in Benin, a sub-Saharan African country where there are no data on AT users. To achieve this aim, an exhaustive research project has been drawn up based on the CATOR taxonomy and the use of standardized tools, the most widely used and documented in the literature. In addition, sociodemographic data will be gathered using specific items from the rATA, a recently developed and WHO-certified instrument designed to assess AT users worldwide [30].

The CATOR taxonomy provides a diversified classification of the findings of all forms of AT and is adaptable to all types of populations with disabilities. It provides a more objective view of the various effects of using ATs and leads to the identification of any problems encountered by users. Its use in our study guarantees a holistic structuring of our future results, which could easily be discussed with existing data in the literature.

It is worth noting a few limitations in the design of this study. One of these limitations is that it was not possible to plan the assessment of the users who will be included in this study on all the aspects described in the CATOR taxonomy. These include aspects such as body functions, longevity, use of care services, and use of long-stay residences (Figure 1). A more specific design is required to evaluate these different aspects. In addition, the impact of ATs on caregivers’ workloads will not be evaluated in depth. This is a topic that could be the subject of a future study. Another limitation is that the convenience sampling method to be used may limit the generalizability of our results. However, the fact that we plan to recruit participants from all regions of the country may strengthen the relevance of our future results.

After completing this study, the results will be disseminated through various ways, including oral and poster presentations at national and international scientific conferences. Additionally, at least 2 scientific articles will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

This research project aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge on ATs in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on Benin, where there are currently no data available. The findings of this study will constitute the inaugural investigation into the use of ATs in Benin. They may serve as a basis for future research in this field.