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Advances in Mobility Technologies to Promote Rehabilitation and Community Participation

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 11699

Special Issue Editors

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Laval University, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
Interests: rehabilitation; physical rehabilitation; health promotion; neurorehabilitation; health behavioural science; community physical therapy; occupational therapy
Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Interests: global health policy development and analysis; assistive technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mobility is a gateway to social participation and is recognized by the United Nations as a basic human right. Approximately 15% of the global population live with a disability, and mobility disabilities are among the top three disability types. Often due to unequal access to health care and rehabilitation, and marginalization or exclusion from the social roles in their communities, people with disabilities are commonly overlooked by global health and international development efforts. Mobility is fundamental to community integration, engagement in meaningful activities and social participation. Therefore, lack of mobility can lead to physical, psychological and social sequalae that reduce overall well-being and quality of life. Assistive and mobility technologies are critical to rehabilitation and community participation. In fact, a critical need for rehabilitation interventions targeting improved mobility for individuals with disabilities has been recently documented by the World Health Organization. Advances in mobility technologies may range from low-tech interventions (e.g., novel methods of skills training or behaviour change techniques for independent mobility or for using mobility devices) to ground-breaking technologies that may push mobility to new levels (e.g., novel technologies in assistive device and mobility aid development). With a growing body of literature and increasing interest in wearable sensors to capture movement, mobility research may also include technologies for capturing and assessing movement. Research in mobility in needed in various populations including (but not limited to) older adults, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with musculoskeletal injuries

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on mobility technologies that range from low-tech to high tech innovations for improving social participation. Novel research papers using acceptable clinical methods of evaluation (e.g., meta-analyses and systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, single studies research designs, case reports and qualitative papers) are welcome in this issue. Papers evaluating the health economics or cost-effectiveness of mobility interventions or of assistive technology are also welcome. Other manuscript types accepted include methodological papers, position papers, brief reports, and commentaries. We will accept manuscripts from various disciplines including rehabilitation and clinical trials, engineering, epidemiology, intervention studies, behavioral and clinical psychology, and other relevant fields that address issues of mobility technology and rehabilitation.

Dr. Krista L. Best
Dr. Emma Smith
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mobility
  • social participation
  • community integration
  • assistive technology
  • rehabilitation
  • wheelchair
  • scooter
  • walking aids
  • exoskeleton
  • health
  • equity

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1584 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Influence of a Community-Based Peer-Led Wheelchair Skills Training on Satisfaction with Participation in Children and Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida: A Pilot Study
by Béatrice Ouellet, Krista L. Best, Deb Wilson and William C. Miller
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 11908; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191911908 - 21 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1778
Abstract
Background: Peer-led approaches improve satisfaction with participation, wheelchair skills and wheelchair use self-efficacy in adults, but the evidence is limited in children. This pilot study aimed to explore the influence of community-based, peer-led, group wheelchair training program (i.e., Seating To Go) on satisfaction [...] Read more.
Background: Peer-led approaches improve satisfaction with participation, wheelchair skills and wheelchair use self-efficacy in adults, but the evidence is limited in children. This pilot study aimed to explore the influence of community-based, peer-led, group wheelchair training program (i.e., Seating To Go) on satisfaction with participation (primary outcome), wheelchair skills, and wheelchair use self-efficacy in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Methods: A single group pre-post design was used. Invitations were shared online and diffused by clinicians and advocacy and provider groups to recruit a convenience sample of eight pediatric wheelchair users. Participants completed the Seating To Go program in groups that were facilitated by adult wheelchair users. Satisfaction with participation (Wheelchair Outcome Measure-Young People), wheelchair skills (Wheelchair Skills Test), wheelchair use self-efficacy (Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale), and perceived wheelchair skills capacity (Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire; proxy rating: parents) were evaluated before and after the Seating To Go program. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric longitudinal data analysis were conducted to explore changes in all outcomes from baseline to post-intervention. Results: Pediatric wheelchair users (ranging in age from 5 to 15 years) and their parents reported statistically significant improvements in satisfaction with participation. The improvements in wheelchair skills and wheelchair confidence were also statistically significant, but not the parents’ perception of their children’s wheelchair skills. Conclusions: A community-based peer-led approach to wheelchair skills training seems promising for improving wheelchair outcomes in pediatric wheelchair users. Further controlled studies with larger samples are warranted. Full article
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13 pages, 1119 KiB  
Article
Influence of Core-Stability Exercises Guided by a Telerehabilitation App on Trunk Performance, Balance and Gait Performance in Chronic Stroke Survivors: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial
by Carina Salgueiro, Gerard Urrútia and Rosa Cabanas-Valdés
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5689; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095689 - 07 May 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5747
Abstract
Stroke is one of the main causes of disability. Telerehabilitation could face the growing demand and a good strategy for post-stroke rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to examine the possible effects of therapeutic exercises performed by an App on trunk control, [...] Read more.
Stroke is one of the main causes of disability. Telerehabilitation could face the growing demand and a good strategy for post-stroke rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to examine the possible effects of therapeutic exercises performed by an App on trunk control, balance, and gait in stroke survivors. A preliminary 12-week randomized controlled trial was developed. Thirty chronic stroke survivors were randomly allocated into two groups. Both groups performed conventional physiotherapy, in addition to, the experimental group (EG) had access to a telerehabilitation App to guide home-based core-stability exercises (CSE). Trunk performance was measured with the Spanish-Trunk Impairment Scale (S-TIS 2.0) and Spanish-Function in Sitting Test. Balance and gait were measured with Spanish-Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke patient, Berg Balance Scale and an accelerometer system. In EG was observed an improvement of 2.76 points in S-TIS 2.0 (p = 0.001). Small differences were observed in balance and gait. Adherence to the use of the App was low. CSE guided by a telerehabilitation App, combined with conventional physiotherapy, seem to improve trunk function and sitting balance in chronic post-stroke. Active participation in the rehabilitation process should be increased among stroke survivors. Further confirmatory studies are necessary with a large sample size. Full article
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10 pages, 2737 KiB  
Article
Wheelchair Skills Test Outcomes across Multiple Wheelchair Skills Training Bootcamp Cohorts
by Edward Giesbrecht
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 21; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19010021 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1560
Abstract
User training is a critical component of wheelchair service delivery to ensure individuals with a mobility impairment can negotiate environmental barriers and promote their social participation. A wheelchair “bootcamp”, delivered during professional preparation education, is one strategy to better prepare occupational therapists for [...] Read more.
User training is a critical component of wheelchair service delivery to ensure individuals with a mobility impairment can negotiate environmental barriers and promote their social participation. A wheelchair “bootcamp”, delivered during professional preparation education, is one strategy to better prepare occupational therapists for clinical rehabilitation practice by developing their own wheelchair skills. The purpose of this study was a retrospective review of a large dataset of student cohorts from a single site and delineate bootcamp effects on the Wheelchair Skills Test-Questionnaire (WST-Q) scores. Participant data from eight cohorts was consolidated (n = 307). Comparison of two WST-Q scoring formats revealed significantly lower scores for cohorts using the 4-point version, which was subsequently standardized to the other 3-point version. WST-Q change scores were similar between cohorts, and differences were more reflective of variability in skill level prior to bootcamp than post-bootcamp scores. Students were able to master most basic and intermediate level skills, while advanced skill acquisition was much more variable. This study provides more precise point estimates of wheelchair skill acquisition among occupational therapy students than previous studies. While confirming the benefits of bootcamp education, recommendations for further investigation were identified. Full article
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Review

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25 pages, 3601 KiB  
Review
Relationships between Cognitive Functioning and Powered Mobility Device Use: A Scoping Review
by Alice Pellichero, Lisa K. Kenyon, Krista L. Best, Marie-Eve Lamontagne, Marie Denise Lavoie, Éric Sorita and François Routhier
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(23), 12467; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182312467 - 26 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1739
Abstract
Background. Powered mobility devices (PMD) promote independence, social participation, and quality of life for individuals with mobility limitations. However, some individuals would benefit from PMD, but may be precluded access. This is particularly true for those with cognitive impairments who may be perceived [...] Read more.
Background. Powered mobility devices (PMD) promote independence, social participation, and quality of life for individuals with mobility limitations. However, some individuals would benefit from PMD, but may be precluded access. This is particularly true for those with cognitive impairments who may be perceived as unsafe and unable to use a PMD. This study explored the relationships between cognitive functioning and PMD use. The objectives were to identify cognitive functions necessary to use a PMD and describe available PMD training approaches. Methods. A scoping review was undertaken. Results. Seventeen studies were included. Four examined the predictive or correlational relationships between cognitive functioning and PMD use outcomes with intellectual functions, visual and visuospatial perception, attention, abstraction, judgement, organization and planning, problem solving, and memory identified as having a relation with PMD use outcome in at least one study. Thirteen others studied the influence of PMD provision or training on users’ PMD capacity and cognitive outcomes and reported significative improvements of PMD capacities after PMD training. Six studies found improved cognitive scores after PMD training. Conclusions. Cognitive functioning is required to use a PMD. Individuals with heterogeneous cognitive impairment can improve their PMD capacities. Results contribute to advancing knowledge for PMD provision. Full article
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