Article

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that powered wheelchair users who receive the
Wheelchair Skills Training Program (WSTP) improve their wheelchair skills in
comparison with a control group that receives standard care, and secondarily to
assess goal achievement, satisfaction with training, retention, injury rate,
confidence with wheelchair use, and participation. DESIGN: Randomized controlled
trial. SETTING: Rehabilitation centers and communities. PARTICIPANTS: Powered
wheelchair users (N=116). INTERVENTION: Five 30-minute WSTP training sessions.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessments were done at baseline (t1), posttraining (t2),
and 3 months posttraining (t3) using the Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire
(WST-Q version 4.1), Goal Attainment Score (GAS), Satisfaction Questionnaire,
injury rate, Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale for Power Wheelchair Users
(WheelCon), and Life Space Assessment (LSA). RESULTS: There was no significant
t2-t1 difference between the groups for WST-Q capacity scores (P=.600), but the
difference for WST-Q performance scores was significant (P=.016) with a relative
(t2/t1 x 100%) improvement of the median score for the intervention group of
10.8%. The mean GAS +/- SD for the intervention group after training was
92.8%+/-11.4%, and satisfaction with training was high.
The WST-Q gain was not
retained at t3. There was no clinically significant difference between the groups
in injury rate and no statistically significant differences in WheelCon or LSA
scores at t3. CONCLUSIONS: Powered wheelchair users who receive formal wheelchair
skills training demonstrate modest, transient posttraining improvements in their
WST-Q performance scores, have substantial improvements on individualized goals,
and are positive about training.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS