The effect of an outdoor powered wheelchair on activity and participation in users with stroke

Abstract

Purpose.Persons with disabilities after stroke are often restricted in activity and participation in society because of mobility limitations. An outdoor powered wheelchair may be one among other interventions in a rehabilitation programme. The aim of this study was to describe and compare activity limitations and participation restrictions in persons with stroke from their own perspective, before and after using an outdoor powered wheelchair.Method. At baseline and follow-up two instruments were used: Individually Prioritized Problem Assessment (IPPA) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS II).Results. The results indicated that the powered wheelchair has a great positive effect on activity and participation assessed with IPPA. The results also showed that most of the participants' problems could be categorised as belonging to the domain of ‘Community, social and civic life’ according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and the effect size in this domain was large (2.4) after the participants had used the wheelchair.Conclusion. An outdoor powered wheelchair is an essential device for persons with disability after stroke with regard to overcoming activity limitations and participation restrictions in everyday life.