Evaluation of manual wheelchairs by individuals with spinal cord injuries

• Purpose. The aim of this study was to investigate how adults with spinal cord injury assess their satisfaction regarding various aspects and use of their manual wheelchair. Method. The Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0) together with seven additional questions was sent to 205 adults with SCI. Results. One hundred and twenty-four responses were available. The QUEST 2.0 showed a high level of satisfaction with manual wheelchair properties. However, the respondents were less satisfied with the services offered. Ease of use and comfort were identified as most important. Eighty-nine percent of the respondents rated their level of satisfaction as 'quite satisfied' or 'very satisfied' in ease of using a manual wheelchair compared with 68% of the respondents that were 'quite satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the level of comfort. A greater satisfaction of ease in propulsion indoors compared with sitting comfort in various activities was found. Conclusions. A discrepancy was shown between users not being as satisfied with comfort in sitting in various activities as opposed to satisfaction with propulsion. This indicates the need for increased knowledge and developments concerning individual solutions, incorporating comfort as well as ease of use of a manual wheelchair.

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MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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