title: Daily utility and satisfaction with rollators among persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the daily utility and satisfaction with rollators in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  COPD patients describing dyspnea during activities of living, who had been provided with a rollator by a health care professional within the preceding 5-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three questionnaires were administered in random order. The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire was used to measure health-related quality of life, version 2.0 of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology was used to assess satisfaction with the rollator, and a structured questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding daily utility of the device and barriers to its use. Demographic data were obtained through patient interview. Anthropometric data, measurements of resting lung function, and 6-minute walk distance were extracted from the medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven (10 men) patients (forced expiratory volume in 1 second, 35.1%+/-22.3% predicted) completed the study. Sixteen (59%) patients reported daily rollator use. All patients used the rollator to assist with ambulation outdoors, but 16 (59%) patients stated that they did not use the rollator for any activity in their home. Although satisfaction with the rollator was high, women were less satisfied with the weight of the device than men (P=.008). Thirteen (48%) patients reported being embarrassed while using the device.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COPD patients provided with a rollator for use during daily life were most satisfied with its effectiveness and least satisfied with its weight. Daily use was generally high with over half the patients using the rollator on a daily basis. Rollators were more often used outdoors than indoors.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Medicine, West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gartner
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014853:Walkers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*