Association Between the Availability of Mobility Assistive Products and Participation Outcomes in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury in Switzerland

Abstract

Objectives This study investigated the association between the reported availability of mobility assistive products and the perceived frequency, restriction, and satisfaction of participation in individuals with spinal cord injury in Switzerland. Methods This study was based on a cross-sectional analysis based on questionnaire data collected from the Swiss SCI Cohort Study community survey in 2012 (N = 492). The availability of 12 mobility assistive products were analyzed as the main predictor variable. The outcomes of interest were the frequency, restriction, and satisfaction of participation scales as measured by the 32-item Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation–Participation (USER-P). The association between availability of mobility assistive products and participation was investigated using linear regressions analyses. All mobility assistive products were ranked in terms of relevance to improve participation by means of an importance performance plot. Results The availability of a sports wheelchair or a hand bike were both significant in reducing the restriction to participation. Having an adapted car increased the frequency of participation. Conclusion The availability of a sports wheelchair or a hand bike was significantly associated with less restriction in participation. With an unmet need of up to 36%, the known health benefits of regular physical activity and thereby cost-saving potential for the health care system, external support in the acquiring or use of these sports-related mobility assistive products could be an easy target for intervention.