Mobility Device Quality Affects Participation Outcomes for People With Disabilities: A Structural Equation Modeling...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Science
• Assistive Technology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Community-dwelling adults with spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and stroke often rely on mobility devices.
• Participation outcomes are influenced by various factors, including the quality of assistive devices.
• Understanding the relationship between device quality and participation is essential for improving quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of mobility device quality indicators on participation outcomes.
• To examine the moderating role of device quality in community-dwelling adults with SCI, TBI, and stroke.
• To identify specific device quality attributes that influence participation.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey study utilizing structural equation modeling.
• Data collected from 250 community-dwelling adults with SCI, TBI, and stroke.
• Assessed device quality (repairability, reliability, ease of maintenance), device type, and participation outcomes using validated scales.

Main Results:

• Indicators of mobility device quality significantly moderated participation outcomes.
• Repairability, ease of maintenance, and device reliability accounted for 20% of the variance in participation.
• Wheelchair users reported lower participation enfranchisement compared to ambulation aid users.

Conclusions:

• Mobility device quality is a critical determinant of participation outcomes.
• Access to reliable and maintainable mobility devices is essential for community participation.
• Future interventions should focus on improving the quality and accessibility of assistive devices.