Article

PURPOSE: To document the prevalence of multiple mobility device use among adults
with multiple sclerosis (MS) (>/= 55 years) and examine the association between
falls status (faller/non-faller) and the number of mobility devices used.
METHODS: Cross-sectional data generated through telephone interviews with 353
participants was used for this secondary analysis. Descriptive statistics were
used to address the first study purpose. Multiple device use was measured by the
number of devices used, which ranged from 0 (never use a cane, walker, manual
wheelchair, or power wheelchair/scooter) to 4 (use all four mobility devices at
least some of the time). Logistic regression analysis was used to address the
second purpose, with fall status used as the dependent variable (non-fallers [<1
per year] versus fallers [>/= 1 per year]). Results: Just under 60% of
participants reported the use of at least two mobility devices. For each
additional mobility device used, the odds of being a faller increased by 1.47
times (95% CI = 1.14-1.90). CONCLUSION: Multiple mobility device use was common
and the greater number of devices used, the greater the likelihood of being a
faller. To prevent falls, this association requires further research to determine
directionality.

Langue : ANGLAIS