Article

PURPOSE: To characterize the life-space mobility and social participation of
manual wheelchair users using objective measures of wheeled mobility. METHOD:
Individuals (n = 49) were included in this cross-sectional study if they were
aged 50 or older, community-dwelling and used their wheelchair on a daily basis
for the past 6 months. Life-space mobility and social participation were measured
using the life-space assessment and late-life disability instrument. The wheeled
mobility variables (distance travelled, occupancy time, number of bouts) were
captured using a custom-built data logger. RESULTS: After controlling for age and
sex, multivariate regression analyses revealed that the wheeled mobility
variables accounted for 24% of the life-space variance. The number of bouts
variable, however, did not account for any appreciable variance above and beyond
the occupancy time and distance travelled. Occupancy time and number of bouts
were significant predictors of social participation and accounted for 23% of the
variance after controlling for age and sex. CONCLUSIONS: Occupancy time and
distance travelled are statistically significant predictors of life-space
mobility. Lower occupancy time may be an indicative of travel to more distant
life-spaces, whereas the distance travelled is likely a better reflection of
mobility within each life-space. Occupancy time and number of bouts are
significant predictors of participation frequency. Implications for
rehabilitation Component measures of wheelchair mobility, such as distance
travelled, occupancy time and number of bouts, are important predictors of
life-space mobility and social participation in adult manual wheelchair users.
Lower occupancy time is an indication of travel to more distant life-spaces,
whereas distance travelled is likely a better reflection of mobility within each
life-space. That lower occupancy time and greater number of bouts are associated
with more frequent participation raises accessibility and safety issues for
manual wheelchair users.

Langue : ANGLAIS