title: Investigation of factors associated with manual wheelchair mobility in persons with spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify wheelchair mobility of persons with a spinal cord injury (SCI), and to assess the relationship between wheelchair mobility and demographics, type of manual wheelchair, and participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  People (N=132) with SCI who use a manual wheelchair as their primary means of mobility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wheelchair-related mobility characteristics measured by a data-logging device, and community participation measured by the short form of the Craig Handicap Assessment Recording Technique (CHART).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age was found to be significantly (r=-.225, P<.01) related to average speed traveled per day. Whites were found to travel significantly further (P<.01) and accumulate more minutes per day (P<.01) compared with minorities. Participants who were employed traveled significantly further (P<.01), faster (P<.01), and for more minutes per day (P<.01) compared with those who were not employed. A moderate relationship (r=.245-.390) was found between wheelchair mobility data and CHART total score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest a need for future investigation of the factors that influence wheelchair mobility and community participation of persons with SCI. Findings indicate the efficacy of a quantitative method to track wheelchair mobility in community settings, which could serve as a way of identifying community participation for persons with SCI and possibly uncovering additional aspects of participation.
authors.affiliation: Human Engineering Research Laboratories, Department of Veterans Affairs, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. tolerico@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Oyster
authors.forename: Amol M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Karmarkar
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: Mary Schmidt
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nicolini
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Boninger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*