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Designing functional medical products for children with cancer

POWER, Jess, Leaper, David John and Harris, Joanne Marrie (2017) Designing functional medical products for children with cancer. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 10 (3). pp. 381-386. ISSN 1754-3266

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Abstract or description

This paper details how Quality Function Deployment (QFD) has been used to develop a tactile advanced product for a medical application. Innovative experimental and industrial research was undertaken, leading to the design of a child-focused ‘Wiggle Bag’, which can be used to safely harness and reduce infection at the site of a venous catheter placed in the chest wall of long-term child cancer sufferers. Children with cancer regularly have long-term central venous catheters inserted through their upper chest wall to deliver medication. They can result in medical issues, particularly infections or accidental removal, but also discomfort for the children, particularly when sleeping. The research uses an abductive approach, triangulating various research strategies, including questionnaires, focus groups and interviews from parents, carers and medical personnel. QFD was used to bring together the key findings from the primary data analysis to establish an ergonomic design criteria and inform the product development.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: This submission contains an international journal paper (2017) with supporting evidence in the form of an international peer reviewed conference paper, nation practitioner’s conference (Health Sector) and a university research case study. The main focus of the research was to design and develop (with a local charity) a safety harness with the potential to reduce infection at the site of a catheter tail in the chest of long-term child cancer sufferers. The research uses an inductive approach, triangulating various research strategies including questionnaires, focus groups and interviews from parents, carers and medical personnel. QFD was used to bring together the key findings from the primary data analysis to establish a design criteria and the product development. The outcome of the research was a functional product ergonomically designed for maximum comfort, dignity and safety, with the added unique selling point of antibacterial properties. The product has since been commercialised by the charity under the brand of Tookie and https://www.tookie.co.
Faculty: School of Business, Leadership and Economics > Business, Management and Marketing
Depositing User: Library STORE team
Date Deposited: 05 Feb 2018 14:36
Last Modified: 24 Feb 2023 13:50
Related URLs:
URI: https://eprints.staffs.ac.uk/id/eprint/4143

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