Demographic Profile of Older Adults Using Wheeled Mobility Devices
By Karmarkar, Amol M.; Dicianno, Brad E.; Cooper, Rosemarie; Collins, Diane M.; Matthews, Judith T.; Koontz, Alicia; Teodorski, Emily E.; Cooper, Rory A.; Journal of Aging Research, Volume 2011, Number 560358Publication Date: 2011
Study undertaken to determine the types of wheeled mobility devices used by older adults who reside in nursing homes and community settings, and to identify the demographics and health related factors associated with each type of device being used. Participants included 723 adults aged 60 years and older representing three cohorts: nursing home residents, clients at the Center for Assistive Technology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and participants at the wheelchair registry from the Human Engineering Research Laboratories of the Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Wheeled mobility devices were classified into three main groups: manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, and scooters. Not living at home was the most significant factor associated with the use of manual wheelchairs. The diagnosis of a spinal cord condition was also found to be associated with the use of manual wheelchairs, and age was found to be negatively associated with the use of powered mobility devices as well as lightweight manual wheelchairs. Institutional living had a negative association with the use of customizable manual wheelchairs, while individuals with spinal cord conditions constituted the highest proportion of users of those devices. Individuals using scooters had a higher proportion of cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions, compared to those using power wheelchairs. Higher proportions of individuals with neurological and spinal cord conditions were in the customized power wheelchair users group, while the standard power wheelchair user group had higher proportions of users with orthopedic or cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions. Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Published by: Hindawi Publishing Corporation (Website:http://www.hindawi.com/)
Link to text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3124894/?tool=pmcentrez
