Article

OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence, mechanisms, self-perceived causes,
consequences, and wheelchair-using behaviors associated with wheelchair-related
accidents. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: A
sample of experienced, community-dwelling, active manual and powered wheelchair
users (N=95) recruited from a hospital assistive technology service center.
INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Wheelchair-using behaviors,
wheelchair-related accidents over a 3-year period, and the mechanisms and
consequences of the accidents. RESULTS: Among the 95 participants, 52 (54.7%)
reported at least 1 accident and 16 (16.8%) reported 2 or more accidents during
the 3 years prior to the interview. A total of 74 accidents, were categorized
into tips and falls (87.8%), accidental contact (6.8%), and dangerous operations
(5.4%). A logistic regression found individuals who failed to maintain their
wheelchairs regularly (odds ratio [OR]=11.28; 95% confidence interval [CI],
2.62-48.61) and used a wheelchair not prescribed by professionals (OR=4.31; 95%
CI, 1.10-16.82) had significantly greater risks of accidents. In addition to the
risk factor, lack of regular wheelchair maintenance, the Poisson regression
corroborated the other risk factor, seat belts not used (incident rate
ratio=2.14; 95% CI, 1.08-4.14), for wheelchair-related accidents. CONCLUSIONS:
Wheelchair-related accidents are closely related to their wheelchair-using
behaviors. Services including professional evaluation, repair, maintenance, and
an educational program on proper wheelchair use may decrease the risks of
wheelchair accidents.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS