title: Wheelchair seating: a state of the science report.
abstract: Regardless of the field, agenda-setting processes are integral to establishing research and development priorities. Beginning in 1998, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research mandated that each newly funded Rehabilitation Engineering and Research Center (RERC) hold a state-of-the-science consensus forum during the third year of its 5-year funding cycle. NIDRR's aim in formalizing this agenda-setting process was to facilitate the formulation of future research and development priorities for each respective RERC. In February 2001, the RERC on Wheeled Mobility, University of Pittsburgh, conducted one of the first such forums. The scope encompassed both current scientific knowledge and clinical issues. In preparation, expert interviews were carried out to establish the focus for the forum. Because a stakeholder forum on wheelchair technology had recently been held, opinion favored wheelchair seating as the focus and included the following core areas: seating for use in wheelchair transportation, seated postural control, seating discomfort, and tissue integrity management. The aim of this report is to present a summary of the workshop outcomes, describe the process, and increase awareness of this agenda-setting process in order to enhance future participation in a process that critically influences the field of wheeled mobility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Geyer
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Brienza
authors.forename: Gina E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Bertocci
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hobson
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karg
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmeler
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trefler
mesh_terms: D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004867:Equipment Design; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005221:Fatigue; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008422:Materials Testing; D011187:Posture; D011312:Pressure; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000517:prevention & control; D014910:Wheelchairs