Neuropsychological predictors of powered wheelchair use: a prospective follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate (1) rates of powered wheelchair use and level of user-rated functional performance at one-month follow-up, and (2) whether psychological variables were prospectively predictive of outcome.


METHODS
Prospective follow-up study.


METHODS
UK hospital-based regional rehabilitation and mobility centre.


METHODS
Volunteer adults with impaired mobility. Of 155 approached, 103 had baseline assessments. Of these, 81 (79%) provided outcome data. Mean age was 65.6 years (SD = 13.5); 55% were male.


METHODS
Rate of day-to-day powerchair use, and users' perceptions of how well the powerchair allowed them to perform functional tasks.


RESULTS
Among those with indoor-only chairs, 48% were 'less frequent' users; this rose to 72% among those with indoor/outdoor chairs. Excluding environmental reasons, rate of indoor use was predicted by baseline measures of verbal recall (P<0.001), figure copying (P=0.003) and global cognition (P=0.021). Among those with indoor/outdoor chairs, total rate of use was predicted by verbal recall (P= 0.001). Participants reported that the powerchair was effective in meeting their functional needs.


CONCLUSIONS
Powered wheelchair use was predicted by cognitive measures. Rates of use were relatively low, despite users' reports that the powerchair facilitated their everyday functioning well.
Cullen
Breda
B
Department of Neuropsychology, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland. breda.cullen@sgh.scot.nhs.uk
O'Neill
Brian
B
Evans
Jonathan J
JJ
D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data