Type and frequency of reported wheelchair repairs and related adverse consequences among people with spinal cord injury

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Study investigated the frequency and types of wheelchair repairs and associated adverse consequences among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Individuals who received care at 9 SCI Model Systems Centers and who use a wheelchair more than 40 hours each week were surveyed. Survey questions addressed the number of repairs needed and resulting adverse consequences, number and types of repairs completed, and location where main repair was completed in the previous 6 months. Of the 591 participants who responded to the survey, 63.8 percent of them needed at least 1 repair; of these, 27.6 percent experienced at least 1 adverse consequence, including 18.2 percent who were stranded. Of those who needed repairs, 6.9 percent did not have them completed. Repairs completed on the wheels and casters were the most frequent repair to manual wheelchairs, whereas repairs to the electrical and power and control systems were the most frequent type of repair on power wheelchairs. Forty percent of manual wheelchair users reported completing repairs at home themselves compared with 14 percent of power wheelchair users. Twelve percent of the variance in the odds of facing an adverse consequence because of a wheelchair breakdown can be described as a function of occupation, funding source, and type of wheelchair. Findings suggest that wheelchair repairs are highly prevalent. There are differences in types of repairs and who completes the repairs based on the type of wheelchair and there is a deficit between repairs needed and those completed, highlighting the need for interventions that address these problems.

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