title: From "wheelchair circuit" to "wheelchair assessment instrument for people with multiple sclerosis": reliability and validity analysis of a test to assess driving skills in manual wheelchair users with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the reliability and validity of the Wheelchair Assessment Instrument for people with Multiple Sclerosis (WAIMS), a test to measure driving skills in manual wheelchair users with multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three test trials per subject were conducted by 2 raters to examine reliability (inter- and intrarater) and validity (concurrent and construct).
  
  
  METHODS
  A national multiple sclerosis rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of manual wheelchair users with MS (n=50), participating in an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation program in a national multiple sclerosis center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The WAIMS consists of 8 items and results in 3 final test scores: ability sum score, performance time sum score, and covered distance. These 3 scores are used to calculate inter- and intrarater reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity. Concerning validity, the test scores on the WAIMS are compared with (1) the Belgian medical prescription of a wheelchair on the item d445 (hand and arm use), based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, (2) the Expanded Disability Status Scale, and (3) the mobility (wheelchair) item of the FIM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intrarater reliability was found to be higher than interrater reliability. Except for the interrater reliability of the ability sum score, all intraclass correlation coefficients met our standard of 0.80. Concurrent validity was rather low, but construct validity showed that the WAIMS is a valid instrument to assess driving skills in manual wheelchair users with MS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The WAIMS is a promising tool to assess driving skills in manual wheelchair users with MS, but it needs some refinements and future studies to confirm this statement.
authors.affiliation: National Multiple Sclerosis Center, Melsbroek, Belgium. monia_vereecken@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Monia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vereecken
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vanderstraeten
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ilsbroukx
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015588:Observer Variation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data