Factors Influencing Incidence of Wheelchair Repairs and Consequences Among Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.
Lynn A Worobey, Allen W Heinemann, Kim D Anderson and 4 others
PMID 33845000WHAT IT FOUND
Over half of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury needed repairs in six months, and 42% of those experienced adverse consequences like being stranded or missing appointments.
Power wheelchair users, those with older chairs, and Black individuals faced significantly higher risks.
Key findings
0156% of participants reported needing wheelchair repairs in the past six months, with tires, controllers, and positioning supports being the most common issues.
02Among those needing repairs, 42% experienced adverse consequences such as being stranded at home or forced to use a backup chair, with a median of 5 days of impact.
03Power wheelchair users, individuals with chairs older than one year, and Black participants were significantly more likely to experience both repairs and adverse consequences.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study relied on self-reported data and recall of events over the previous six months, which may introduce bias. Participants were recruited from specialized spinal cord injury model systems, which may not represent the general population of wheelchair users. The study did not measure the exact time it took to complete repairs, only the duration of consequences. Wheelchair usage was self-reported rather than objectively measured.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that having a backup wheelchair prevents adverse consequences. The study found that even among users with backup chairs, many were still stranded because the backup chair often did not meet their seating needs or was itself broken.