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Wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) report very highrates of wheelchair breakdowns - and the problem is getting worse,suggests a study in American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AJPM&R), the official journal of the Association of AcademicPhysiatrists, AJPM&R is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. The study found that over 50 percent of wheelchair usersexperienced a breakdown in a six-month period, up from a previousreport. "It is possible that this increase in the number of repairsis the result of a decrease in wheelchair quality resulting fromchanges in reimbursement policies and a lack of enforcement ofstandards testing," write the researchers, led by Dr MichaelBoninger of University of Pittsburgh's Department of PhysicalMedicine and Rehabilitation. They also found a significant increasein wheelchair breakdowns causing health and safety consequences. For People with SCI, Wheelchair Breakdowns Becoming More Frequent Dr Boninger and colleagues analyzed data from an ongoing surveystudy of more than 700 individuals with SCI who used wheelchairs atleast 40 hours per week. The participants provided routine data onwheelchair breakdowns requiring repairs, along with anyconsequences of breakdowns - for example, being stranded, missing amedical appointment, or being injured. The data suggested that the rate of wheelchair breakdowns hasincreased in recent years. From 2006 to 2011, about 53 percent ofwheelchair users reported one or more breakdowns requiring repairper six-month period - a significant increase over the 45 percentrate from 2004 to 2006. The average number of repairs per personalso increased: 1.42 in 2006-11, compared to 1.03 in 2004-06. The rate of adverse consequences of breakdowns increased as well:30.5 percent in 2006-11, compared to 22 percent in 2004-06. Thetotal number of consequences per participant in 2006-11 was morethan twice as high as in 2004-06. Power wheelchairs had more problems than manual wheelchairs -nearly two-thirds of all consequences were reported by powerwheelchair users. These rates were especially high in wheelchairsequipped with power seat functions. Differences by Race/Ethnicity and Funding Source Rates of breakdowns and repairs appeared higher for individualsfrom a racial/ethnic minority background. These same individualswere also less likely to have a backup wheelchair available. Individuals whose wheelchairs were funded by Medicare or Medicaid had higher rates of breakdowns and consequences, compared to thosecovered by private insurance or other sources (such as the VeteransAdministration or workers compensation). More than 2.8 million Americans use a wheelchair for mobility,allowing greater independence in daily functioning, home life, andvocational settings. Wheelchair users are at risk when breakdownsoccur, with consequences ranging from minor inconveniences tosignificant injuries. The new data raise concerns that wheelchair users with SCI areexperiencing higher rates of wheelchair breakdowns. The higher riskamong people whose wheelchairs are funded by Medicare/Medicaid maybe at least partly related to recent changes in insurancereimbursement policy. In addition, the lax requirements for testingdon't ensure that wheelchairs meet established standards forperformance and safety. "This paper should serve as a call to reevaluate and revise currentpolicies and standards testing for wheelchair prescription in theUnited States," Dr Boninger and coauthors conclude. They alsosuggest that educating wheelchair users on the importance ofroutine maintenance - such as replacing cushions, caster wheels,and batteries at recommended times - might help to reduce the ratesand consequences of breakdowns. Additional References Citations. I am an expert from turbochargerrotor.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Turbo Compressor Wheel Manufacturer , Gas Inlet Casing Manufacturer, Turbocharger Nozzle Ring,and more.
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