A conceptual framework to assess effectiveness in wheelchair provision

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Assistive Technology Research
• Global Health

Background:

• Inadequate wheelchair provision exacerbates poverty and limits access to education, work, and social facilities for people with disabilities.
• Lack of stakeholder collaboration hinders the design, manufacturing, and delivery of effective assistive mobility devices.
• Insufficient evidence on intervention effectiveness and cost-effectiveness impedes appropriate wheelchair provision and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel conceptual framework for evaluating wheelchair provision effectiveness globally.
• To provide a testable model for research and application in diverse international settings.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of scientific literature and standard practices in wheelchair service provision was conducted.
• Discussion groups were held among experts to refine the conceptual framework.

Main Results:

• Three iterations of the conceptual framework for wheelchair provision were developed.
• The framework integrates research, practice, and policy considerations.

Conclusions:

• Adoption of this framework can promote evidence-based practices in global wheelchair provision.
• The framework facilitates comparison of different provision strategies and improves clinical guidelines.
• Further research is underway to validate the framework's efficacy in various real-world settings.