Article

PURPOSE: To examine the prevalence and determinants of handbike use in persons
living with spinal cord injury in Switzerland. METHOD:
A population-based
cross-sectional survey in Switzerland. RESULTS: The crude prevalence of handbike
use among the 1549 participants was 22.6%, varying between 25.3% in men and 17.7%
in women. Prevalence was higher in complete than in incomplete spinal cord injury
(SCI) (41.5% versus 11.9% in paraplegia, 25.6% versus 11.1% in tetraplegia).
Multivariable analysis of handbike use confirmed differences with lesion
characteristics and gender and showed a decline with age, lowest rates in the
low-income group, variation with language, but no association with level of
education or cause of spinal cord injury. In total, 45.8% of users reported to
engage in handcycling at least once a week. Frequent contextual reasons for
refraining from handcycling were: no interest (26%); inability due to disability
(20%); unfamiliarity with the handbike (19%) and financial constraints (14%).
CONCLUSIONS: Conditional on the major determinants that include demographic
factors and lesion characteristics, main barriers involve contextual factors that
can principally be overcome. Our findings thus suggest scope for promoting
handcycling as a means towards a healthy and more physically active lifestyle in
persons living with SCI. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Handcycling is an
effective means of improving health and quality of life of persons with a spinal
cord injury. Persons with the following traits are most likely to use the
handbike: persons younger than 62 years, with a complete paraplegia, who are
German-speaking (vs. French/Italian) and having a middle or high net income.
Indicated reasons for not using a handbike varied by SCI characteristics and
included disinterest, inability related to the level of impairment, unfamiliarity
and financial costs. Barriers that involve the above mentioned contextual factors
can principally be overcome by targeted policy or information campaigns.

Langue : ANGLAIS