title: Recipients of electric-powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs provided by a national health service: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the characteristics across all ages of powered wheelchair users and the assistive technology prescribed by a regional specialist wheelchair service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Regional wheelchair service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electric-powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair (EPIOC) users (N=544) with 262 boys and men (mean age ± SD, 41.7±20.7y; range, 8-82y) and 282 girls and women (mean age ± SD, 47.2±19.7y; range, 7-92y).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic, clinical/diagnostic details of EPIOC recipients, including pain, (kypho)scoliosis, and ventilators. Technical features, including specialized (adaptive) seating, tilt in space, and modified control systems. Factors were related to age groups: 1 (0-15y), 2 (16-24y), 3 (25-54y), 4 (55-74y), and 5 (≥75y).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neurologic/neuromuscular conditions predominated (81%) with cerebral palsy (18.9%) and multiple sclerosis (16.4%). Conditions presenting at birth or during childhood constituted 39%. Of the participants, 99 had problematic pain, 83 had (kypho)scoliosis, and 11 used ventilators. Specialized (adaptive) seating was provided to 169 users (31%); most had cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. Tilt in space was used by 258 (53%) participants. Younger people were more likely to receive tilt in space than older ones. Only 92 had specialized (adaptive) seating and tilt in space (mean age ± SD, 29±17.8y; range, 8-72y). Of the participants, 52 used modified control systems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diversity of EPIOC users across age and diagnostic groups is shown. Their complex interrelations with these technical features of EPIOC prescriptions are explored. Younger users were more complex because of age-related changes. This study provides outcomes of the EPIOC prescription for this heterogeneous group of very severely disabled people.
authors.affiliation: Stanmore Specialist Wheelchair Service, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, UK. Electronic address: andrew.frank1@btinternet.com.
authors.forename: Andrew O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Rehabilitation, School of Health Science and Social Care, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK.
authors.forename: Lorraine H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: De Souza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014910:Wheelchairs; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: AT; Age distribution; CP; CVD; EPIOC; MD; MS; NHS; National Health Service; PM; RA; Rehabilitation; SB; SCI; Self-help devices; Wheelchairs; assistive technology; cerebral palsy; cerebrovascular disease; electric-powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair; multiple sclerosis; muscular dystrophy; powered mobility; rheumatoid arthritis; spina bifida; spinal cord injury