Applicability of the Wheelchair Skills Program to the Indian context.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to explore the applicability of the Wheelchair Skills Program (WSP) to the Indian context.


METHODS
During a two-week period, we visited two clinical institutions and one manufacturing facility, in New Delhi, Jaipur and Kanpur, respectively. We met with local clinicians, held workshops and training sessions, and made qualitative observations.


RESULTS
The community obstacles observed in India were similar in nature to those in North America. However, obstacles appeared to be more prevalent and, in some cases, more extreme. Of the wheeled mobility devices that we observed in the community, arm-crank-propelled tricycles were most commonly seen. Of the hand-rim-propelled wheelchairs we observed, most were heavy and non-adjustable ('depot style'). Ground-level carts were also seen. We also encountered people who needed wheelchairs but did not have them.


CONCLUSIONS
The WSP requires further development and implementation in India will address present challenges. However, this preliminary evaluation suggests that WSP training has potential to help the mobility and participation of wheelchair users in India.
Kirby
R Lee
RL
Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, hali, Nova Scotia, Canada. kirby@dal.ca
Cooper
Rory A
RA
D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D014910:Wheelchairs