title: Factors Associated With the Use of Standardized Power Mobility Skills Assessments Among Assistive Technology Practitioners.
abstract: This study investigated self-reported prevalence of and factors affecting clinicians' use of standardized assessments when evaluating clients for power mobility devices (PMDs), and explored assessments clinicians typically use when carrying out PMD evaluation. An e-mail survey was sent to assistive technology professionals listed in the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America directory. Three hundred fifty-four respondents, qualified to conduct formal power mobility skills assessments, completed the online survey. Of those, 122 (34.5%) respondents reported that they were aware of the presence of standardized performance-based power mobility skills assessments, but only 28 (7.9%) used these assessments in their practice. Multivariate analysis revealed that the odds of the respondents who use the standardized assessments were 18 times higher for those who were aware of the presence of these assessments than those who were not (adjusted odds ratio [OR] OR = 17.85, P < 0.0001). The odds of using the standardized assessment for respondents who did not identify themselves as occupational or physical therapists were five times higher than those who were therapists (adjusted OR = 0.20, P < 0.0001). This survey revealed that the assistive technology practitioners who recommend PMDs mainly use non-standardized mobility skills assessments.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions , University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham , Alabama , USA.
authors.forename: Gavin R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions , University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham , Alabama , USA.
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Vogtle
authors.affiliation: a Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions , University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham , Alabama , USA.
authors.forename: Hon K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical / Q000592:standards; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: mobility evaluation; power wheelchairs; practices; provider survey