Weather, disability, vulnerability, and resilience: exploring how youth with physical disabilities experience winter

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Purpose: Having a mobility-related disability can create numerous challenges in navigating the physical and built environment, especially during winter. Such weather-related challenges can be a significant barrier to participation in everyday activities and are linked with increased physical and psychological morbidities. Unfortunately, mobility research – especially among youth – has often overlooked the effects of winter weather. Methods: This study explores the experiences of daily activities during Canadian winter among a purposive sample of youth, aged 15–22, who have a physical disability requiring the use of a mobility device. The researchers applied a qualitative design, including 12 in-depth interviews. Results: Our findings show that youth encounter several vulnerabilities to participating in social and recreational activities in winter, including: (1) physical barriers and social spatial exclusion; (2) health and safety concerns; and (3) psychosocial issues (i.e. worry, isolation and dependence). Youth also discussed several strategies for adapting to barriers and enhancing their participation during winter, including: (1) wheelchair maintenance; (2) awareness of surroundings; (3) practice using mobility devices and planning; and (4) keeping busy and active. Conclusions: Youth who use a mobility device are vulnerable to health and safety risks and isolation during the winter, but they also display signs of resilience.Implications for RehabilitationClinicians should ensure that youth who are new to using their mobility device are properly trained in how to use it.Service providers should offer a winter survival guide to youth who use a mobility device.Clinicians should be taught to recognize signs of loneliness, isolation and depression, and provide a list of local resources and activities during the winter.Rehabilitation engineers should focus their efforts on adapting mobility devices to enhance the safety of youth.