Enhancing assistive technology knowledge through WHO's training in assistive products (TAP): a pre-post quasi-experimental study in Italian undergraduate healthcare education

Background: Assistive products (APs) are essential for maintaining or improving individuals’ functioning and independence, yet an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide require at least one AP. The World Health Organization's Training in Assistive Products (TAP) offers modular, competency-based e-learning to equip healthcare and community workers with the skills to select, fit, use, and follow up on APs. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of selected TAP modules in enhancing knowledge of APs among Italian undergraduate healthcare students in physiotherapy (PT), neuro- and psychomotor therapy of developmental age (TNPEE), and nursing. Methods: 138 students from two universities in Rome completed 20 h of TAP-based training, comprising theoretical lectures and practical laboratories, across three modules: Introduction to Assistive Products, Mobility Assistive Devices, and Transfer Boards. Knowledge was assessed via a 56-item multiple-choice test administered pre- and post-training. Score distributions were tested for normality (Shapiro–Wilk), and pre-post differences were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (effect size r). Between-group comparisons used Bonferroni-adjusted Mann–Whitney U tests. Results: Of 138 eligible students, 105 completed the Introduction, 95 the Mobility module, and 99 completed the Transfer modules. All modules produced significant knowledge gains (p < 0.01) with large effect sizes (r = 0.59–0.79). TNPEE and nursing students showed very large improvements in the Introduction module (r = 0.81 and 0.75; p < 0.01), whereas PT students improved non-significantly (r = 0.34; p = 0.16), reflecting higher baseline familiarity. PT and TNPEE cohorts achieved the greatest gains in Mobility (r = 0.72–0.80; p < 0.01), while Nursing improvements were more modest (r = 0.45; p = 0.05). Transfer-Boards training yielded uniformly large gains across all student groups (r = 0.58–0.88; p ≤ 0.01). Conclusions: TAP modules are feasible and effective for undergraduate healthcare curricula, substantially enhancing AP knowledge across the 3 participating professions. Integrating TAP, aligned with WHO's GATE “5P” framework, into existing undergraduate programs can standardize assistive-technology education, reduce discipline-driven competency gaps, and contribute to Universal Health Coverage by preparing a workforce skilled in safe, evidence-based AP provision.