Article

OBJECTIVE: To quantify wheelchair mobility of persons with a spinal cord injury
(SCI), and to assess the relationship between wheelchair mobility and
demographics, type of manual wheelchair, and participation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Six Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems.
PARTICIPANTS: People (N=132) with SCI who use a manual wheelchair as their
primary means of mobility. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Wheelchair-related mobility characteristics measured by a data-logging device,
and community participation measured by the short form of the Craig Handicap
Assessment Recording Technique (CHART). RESULTS: Age was found to be
significantly (r=-.225, P<.01) related to average speed traveled per day. Whites
were found to travel significantly further (P<.01) and accumulate more minutes
per day (P<.01) compared with minorities. Participants who were employed traveled
significantly further (P<.01), faster (P<.01), and for more minutes per day
(P<.01) compared with those who were not employed. A moderate relationship
(r=.245-.390) was found between wheelchair mobility data and CHART total score.
CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest a need for future investigation of the factors that
influence wheelchair mobility and community participation of persons with SCI.
Findings indicate the efficacy of a quantitative method to track wheelchair
mobility in community settings, which could serve as a way of identifying
community participation for persons with SCI and possibly uncovering additional
aspects of participation.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS