Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia
Previous studies have found several discrepancies regarding walking frames/walkers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the issues and challenges that the elderly face when using a walking frame/walker, as well as to identify potential solutions and considerations. The Focus Group Discussio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Malaysian Public Health Physicians' Association
2023
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/1/108478.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848865160629846016 |
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| author | Hussain, Mohd Rizal Haron, Nuzul Azam Raja Ahmad Effendi, Raja Ahmad Azmeer Ibrahim, Rahimah Sulaiman, Ruhaizin Ahmad, Siti Anom Rokhani, Fakhrul Zaman Ashari, Asmidawati Hassan, Mohd Khair Dolah, Mohd Shahrizal Ramli, Saiful Hasley |
| author_facet | Hussain, Mohd Rizal Haron, Nuzul Azam Raja Ahmad Effendi, Raja Ahmad Azmeer Ibrahim, Rahimah Sulaiman, Ruhaizin Ahmad, Siti Anom Rokhani, Fakhrul Zaman Ashari, Asmidawati Hassan, Mohd Khair Dolah, Mohd Shahrizal Ramli, Saiful Hasley |
| author_sort | Hussain, Mohd Rizal |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Previous studies have found several discrepancies regarding walking frames/walkers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the issues and challenges that the elderly face when using a walking frame/walker, as well as to identify potential solutions and considerations. The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) sessions were conducted in this study which involved seventeen respondents from various parties, including people aged 60 and above (current users of walking frames/walkers), their caregivers, industry people involved in the marketing and selling of walking frames/walkers and experts/researchers. Interview data as verbatim transcripts were analyzed thematically and gathered systematically into a specific classification according to the House of Quality (HoQ) for technical analysis. Findings on FGD showed that quality, design, and cost were key issues raised by respondents. Based on the HoQ analysis, it’s indicated that the highest rank of customer requirements (CRs) for a new walking frames/walkers design requirement was safety (rank 1), stable (rank 2), suitable for outdoor use (rank 3), user-friendly (rank 4) and comfort design (rank 5). Meanwhile, the highest rank of technical requirements (TRs) are adjustable height and width (rank 1), design two-level handle walking frames/walkers and design ‘R’ shape walking frames/walkers (rank 2 & 3), design with ABS castor wheel (rank 4) which provided functional accessories such as seat, bucket, and pocket (rank 5). The information acquired would be useful as references for further studies on the development of suitable walking frames/walkers for the Malaysian elderly in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T14:00:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-108478 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T14:00:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Malaysian Public Health Physicians' Association |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-1084782025-07-02T07:00:51Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/ Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia Hussain, Mohd Rizal Haron, Nuzul Azam Raja Ahmad Effendi, Raja Ahmad Azmeer Ibrahim, Rahimah Sulaiman, Ruhaizin Ahmad, Siti Anom Rokhani, Fakhrul Zaman Ashari, Asmidawati Hassan, Mohd Khair Dolah, Mohd Shahrizal Ramli, Saiful Hasley Previous studies have found several discrepancies regarding walking frames/walkers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the issues and challenges that the elderly face when using a walking frame/walker, as well as to identify potential solutions and considerations. The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) sessions were conducted in this study which involved seventeen respondents from various parties, including people aged 60 and above (current users of walking frames/walkers), their caregivers, industry people involved in the marketing and selling of walking frames/walkers and experts/researchers. Interview data as verbatim transcripts were analyzed thematically and gathered systematically into a specific classification according to the House of Quality (HoQ) for technical analysis. Findings on FGD showed that quality, design, and cost were key issues raised by respondents. Based on the HoQ analysis, it’s indicated that the highest rank of customer requirements (CRs) for a new walking frames/walkers design requirement was safety (rank 1), stable (rank 2), suitable for outdoor use (rank 3), user-friendly (rank 4) and comfort design (rank 5). Meanwhile, the highest rank of technical requirements (TRs) are adjustable height and width (rank 1), design two-level handle walking frames/walkers and design ‘R’ shape walking frames/walkers (rank 2 & 3), design with ABS castor wheel (rank 4) which provided functional accessories such as seat, bucket, and pocket (rank 5). The information acquired would be useful as references for further studies on the development of suitable walking frames/walkers for the Malaysian elderly in the future. Malaysian Public Health Physicians' Association 2023 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/1/108478.pdf Hussain, Mohd Rizal and Haron, Nuzul Azam and Raja Ahmad Effendi, Raja Ahmad Azmeer and Ibrahim, Rahimah and Sulaiman, Ruhaizin and Ahmad, Siti Anom and Rokhani, Fakhrul Zaman and Ashari, Asmidawati and Hassan, Mohd Khair and Dolah, Mohd Shahrizal and Ramli, Saiful Hasley (2023) Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 23 (1). pp. 261-271. ISSN 2590-3829; eISSN: 1675-0306 http://www.mjphm.org/index.php/mjphm/article/view/1899 10.37268/mjphm/vol.23/no.1/art.1899 |
| spellingShingle | Hussain, Mohd Rizal Haron, Nuzul Azam Raja Ahmad Effendi, Raja Ahmad Azmeer Ibrahim, Rahimah Sulaiman, Ruhaizin Ahmad, Siti Anom Rokhani, Fakhrul Zaman Ashari, Asmidawati Hassan, Mohd Khair Dolah, Mohd Shahrizal Ramli, Saiful Hasley Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia |
| title | Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia |
| title_full | Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia |
| title_short | Walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Malaysia |
| title_sort | walking frame design recommendation based on experience of elderly user, carer, and the industry in kuala lumpur & selangor, malaysia |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/108478/1/108478.pdf |