Development of differentiated pharmaceutical packaging for greater autonomy and quality of life for physically and visually impaired patients

Abstract

20–45% of the world population present special needs, permanent or provisional. This index is higher than that presented by the WHO, which determines that 10% of a country's population has some kind of disabled, in times of peace. This work proposes, focused on Assistive Technology, to seek solutions to daily problems encountered during the distribution of toothpaste for the toothbrushing of persons with visual impairment or with reduced mobility, through the development of a device that assists in the autonomy and independence of the individual, allowing their well-being and social inclusion. For this, an innovative packaging for toothpaste with important characteristics for the support was proposed, such as the presence of a pump valve and an adapter that guides the user to locate the exit of a predefined quantity of the toothpaste, without the need to handle the bristles of the brush, avoiding contaminations. The developed packaging material allows the user independence in day-to-day activities, which strengthens their self-esteem and quality of life, leading, consequently, to family well-being. Keywords: Assistive technology, Product development, Visual impairment, Social inclusion, Toothpaste packaging