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Mobility devices for children with physical disabilities: use, satisfaction and impact on participation
Bjorg Gudjonsdottir1, Svandis Bjork Gudmundsdottir1
1Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Insights
Mobility devices significantly aid children with physical disabilities in daily activities and social participation. Satisfaction with these devices and services is crucial, highlighting the need to consider environmental factors in their provision.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Assistive Technology
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Children with physical disabilities frequently utilize mobility devices.
- There is a recognized gap in research concerning the impact of these devices on children's activities and participation.
- Understanding user satisfaction with the service delivery of mobility devices is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utilization and impact of mobility devices on children with physical disabilities.
- To assess user satisfaction with the characteristics of mobility devices and associated services.
Main Methods:
- A web-based survey was administered to parents of children aged 6-18 with physical disabilities using mobility devices in Iceland.
- Device use and effectiveness were evaluated using a custom questionnaire.
- User satisfaction was measured using the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST) 2.0.
Main Results:
- Out of 55 families surveyed, 36 responded. Most children used mobility devices during social activities.
- Positive effects on activities and participation were reported, influenced by environmental settings.
- No significant differences in satisfaction were found between different types of mobility devices or between device properties and related services.
Conclusions:
- Mobility devices are vital for enhancing activities and participation in children with physical disabilities.
- Healthcare providers should consider diverse environmental settings and potentially multiple device types for individual needs.
- User satisfaction with assistive devices and services is a key indicator of service quality and should be prioritized.
Introduction:
Children with physical disabilities commonly use mobility devices. There is a lack of studies on the use and impact of mobility devices on activities and participation. Research is needed on satisfaction with the service delivery process of mobility devices.
Purpose:
To examine the use and impact of mobility devices among children with physical disabilities and the satisfaction with the properties of their mobility devices and related services.
Materials And Methods:
A web-based survey was sent to parents of 6 - 18 years old children with physical disabilities who used mobility devices in Iceland. The use and effectiveness of mobility devices were assessed with a questionnaire designed for this study. The satisfaction was measured with Quebec user evaluation of satisfaction with assistive technology (QUEST) 2.0.
Results:
The survey was sent to 55 families and 36 replied. Most of the children used mobility devices in social activities. The number of participants who reported positive effects of devices on activities and participation, depended on environmental settings. There was no significant difference in participants' satisfaction between types of mobility devices. Also, there was no significant difference in participants' satisfaction with the properties of the device and the related service (for wheeled walkers p = 0.47, manual wheelchairs p = 0.08, powered wheelchairs p = 1.00).
Conclusions:
The results indicate the importance of mobility devices for activities and participation and can guide healthcare workers when providing mobility devices where environmental factors across settings must be kept in mind. Stakeholders should be aware of the value of satisfaction with the devices and related services.Implications for Rehabilitation:Children with physical disabilities use mobility devices across different environmental settings and need to have more than one type of equipment.This study confirms results from earlier research that mobility devices are important for the activities and participation of children with disabilities.It is important to understand how the delivery process of devices is perceived by those who receive them. High satisfaction is an indicator of high quality of service.Environmental factors across settings must be kept in mind in the delivery process of assistive devices.
