International Society of Wheelchair Professionals' Basic Manual Wheelchair Service Provision Knowledge Test Version 2: Assessment of preliminary psychometric evidence.

Valid and reliable assessment tools to test wheelchair service personnel/provider knowledge are needed to support good practice. The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals' Basic Manual Wheelchair Service Provision Test (Version 1) has been widely used across contexts and settings to assess the knowledge of personnel who provide manual wheelchair services. Test Version 2 has been recently developed according to current evidence.

Psychometric properties of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals' basic manual wheelchair-service-provision knowledge Test Version 1 and development of Version 2.

Introduction: Valid and reliable scores from measurement tools to test competency in basic manual wheelchair-service-provision are needed to promote good practice and support capacity building. The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals' (ISWP) Basic Test Version 1 in English, launched in 2015, is the most frequently used outcome measure tool to test basic manual wheelchair-service-provision knowledge and is part of an international certification process. Despite the wide acceptance and use of the test, its psychometric properties have not yet been established.

Accelerated wear testing shows that thermoplastic bushings could be a cost-effective and durable alternative to traditional bearings for wheelchair caster use.

Introduction: Wheelchair caster bearings often suffer high-risk failures that lead to adverse consequences such as user injuries, suggesting that design improvements are necessary. This study aimed to compare thermoplastic bushings to standard roller bearings for potential improvements in durability and cost-effectiveness.

Methods: The durability and cost-effectiveness of two thermoplastic bushing models and two metallic ball-bearing models were tested using a standard lab-based accelerated wear testing protocol.

Older Wheelchair Users Recommend Age-Friendly Design Improvements to a Wheelchair Maintenance App: Mixed Methods Development Study.

Background: Wheelchair part failures have doubled over the past decade. Preventative wheelchair maintenance reduces wheelchair failures and prevents user consequences. We are developing a smartphone app called WheelTrak, which alerts users when maintenance is required, to encourage maintenance practices and compliance.

French-Canadian translation, cultural adaptation, and preliminary evaluation of the wheelchair service provision - basic test validity among occupational therapy students.

Purpose: The objectives were: (1) to translate and adapt the International Society of Wheelchair Professional (ISWP) basic Wheelchair Service Provision Test (bWSPT) into French-Canadian and (2) to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the French-Canadian version of the ISWP bWSPT internal consistency and relations with other variables among French-Canadian occupational therapy students.

Methods: For Phase 1, based on the International Test Commission Guidelines for Translating and Adapting Tests, a forward translation and adaptation from English to French-Canadian was conducted by a translation team. For Phase 2, the validity evidence of the French-Canadian bWSPT was evaluated through internal consistency and comparison of bWSPT scores and final grades of a wheelchair-specific course with a sample of occupational therapy students (positive, moderate correlation hypothesized).

Wheelchair service provision education for healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings: a scoping review.

Purpose: This review aimed to collate and summarize available research literature about wheelchair service provision education available to healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings.

Methods: The Joanna Briggs Institute methodological steps for scoping reviews were followed. Included studies were mainly sourced from Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Academic Search Complete and ProQuest.

Community-based wheelchair caster failures call for improvements in quality and increased frequency of preventative maintenance.

Study Design: Secondary data analysis of wheelchair failures and service repair logs from a network of wheelchair suppliers.

Objective: To determine the frequency of wheelchair caster failures and service repairs across wheelchair manufacturers and models and investigate the relationships between them.

Setting: Wheelchair caster failures and service repairs occurred in the community.

Wheelchair service provision education for healthcare professional students, healthcare personnel and educators across low- to high-resourced settings: a scoping review protocol.

Purpose: Appropriate wheelchair provision is necessary for addressing participation barriers experienced by individuals with mobility impairments. Health care professionals involved in the wheelchair service provision process require a specific set of skills and knowledge to enable wheelchair use that meets individual posture, mobility and daily living requirements. However, inconsistencies exist in academic programmes globally about providing comprehensive education and training programmes.

Development of a toolkit for educators of the wheelchair service provision process: the Seating and Mobility Academic Resource Toolkit (SMART).

Background: Insufficient wheelchair training among rehabilitation professionals has been identified as an important factor that hinders access to appropriate wheelchair services. The aim of this study was to develop a toolkit to promote the integration of wheelchair education into academic curricula of rehabilitation programs.

Methods: A participatory action research design was carried out in three phases: (1) development of the Initial and Alpha Versions involving secondary analyses of surveys (n = 72), interviews (n = 14), and academic training partners meeting presentations (n = 16); (2) development of the Beta Version based on feedback from collaborators (n = 21); and (3) development of the Launch Version based on feedback from participants attending presentations of the Beta Version at conferences, symposiums, and webinars (n = 94).

Design and evaluation of a laboratory-based wheelchair castor testing protocol using community data.

Wheelchair castors fail frequently causing physical, social and economic consequences for wheelchair users. These failures occur in spite of established wheelchair test methods and regulations, suggesting that the existing tests may not be sufficient to screen poorly designed castors. An expert stakeholder group, convened by the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), noted castor failures as a high priority and recommended that a new castor testing system should be developed.

Development and efficacy of an online wheelchair maintenance training program for wheelchair personnel.

Objectives: To develop an online version of the wheelchair maintenance training program (WMTP) and compare learning outcomes from the in-person and online programs using the wheelchair maintenance training questionnaire (WMT-Q), administered before and after the intervention.

Design: Iterative development of an online version of the WMTP and implementation.

Setting: Online.

Comparing the effectiveness of a hybrid and in-person courses of wheelchair service provision knowledge: A controlled quasi-experimental study in India and Mexico.

Background: Evidence highlights a global shortage of wheelchair service provision education and training that results in inappropriate wheelchair provision with associated health and economic consequences. Two learning methodologies, a hybrid and an in-person course, based on the World Health Organization Wheelchair Service Training Package Basic Level, currently are available to train wheelchair service providers worldwide. The effectiveness of the in-person methodology, used as the standard of practice, has never been tested.

Developing country-specific wheelchair service provision strategic plans for Romania and the Philippines.

: Achieving appropriate wheelchair provision at a national level is complex, requiring regulations, funding and policies established through governments. Understanding wheelchair provision within different countries is key. This paper describes the process used to support the development of wheelchair service strategic plans in Romania and the Philippines.

Detection and classification methodology for movements in the bed that supports continuous pressure injury risk assessment and repositioning compliance.

Pressure injuries are costly to the healthcare system and mostly preventable, yet incidence rates remain high. Recommendations for improved care and prevention of pressure injuries from the Joint Commission revolve around continuous monitoring of prevention protocols and prompts for the care team. The E-scale is a bed weight monitoring system with load cells placed under the legs of a bed.

Implementation of the hybrid course on basic wheelchair service provision for Colombian wheelchair service providers.

Introduction: People with mobility impairments often rely on wheelchairs as their primary means of mobility. Untrained wheelchair service providers may provide inappropriate wheelchairs and services which result in negative consequences in wheelchair users' health, quality of life, safety, and social participation. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the Spanish Hybrid Course on Basic Wheelchair Service Provision, a training based on the World Health Organization's Wheelchair Service Training Program-Basic Level, to increase knowledge in basic level wheelchair service provision among a group of wheelchair service providers from Colombia.

Development of a Hybrid Course on Wheelchair Service Provision for clinicians in international contexts.

Introduction: Wheelchair users worldwide are at high risk of developing secondary health conditions and premature death due to inappropriate wheelchair provision by untrained providers. The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP) has developed a Hybrid Course based on the World Health Organization's Wheelchair Service Training Package-Basic Level. The Hybrid Course leverages online modules designed for low-bandwidth internet access that reduces the in-person training exposure from five to three and a half days, making it less expensive and more convenient for both trainees and trainers.

The Voice of the Consumer: A Survey of Veterans and Other Users of Assistive Technology.

Introduction: A total of 3.6 million Americans and over 250,000 veterans use wheelchairs. The need for advancements in mobility-assistive technologies is continually growing due to advances in medicine and rehabilitation that preserve and prolong the lives of people with disabilities, increases in the senior population, and increases in the number of veterans and civilians involved in conflict situations.

The future of the provision process for mobility assistive technology: a survey of providers.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the opinions of providers of mobility assistive technologies to help inform a research agenda and set priorities.

Materials And Methods: This survey study was anonymous and gathered opinions of individuals who participate in the process to provide wheelchairs and other assistive technologies to clients. Participants were asked to rank the importance of developing various technologies and rank items against each other in terms of order of importance.

Developing product quality standards for wheelchairs used in less-resourced environments.

Background: Premature failures of wheelchairs in less-resourced environments (LREs) may be because of shortcomings in product regulation and quality standards. The standards published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) specify wheelchair tests for durability, safety and performance, but their applicability to products used in the rugged conditions of LREs is unclear. Because of this, wheelchair-related guidelines published by the World Health Organization recommended developing more rigorous durability tests for wheelchairs.

Identifying characteristic back shapes from anatomical scans of wheelchair users to improve seating design.

Spinal deformities are common in people who require the use of a wheelchair for mobility as a result of spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. Sitting positions vary between individuals with disabilities who use wheelchairs and individuals without disabilities. In individuals with spinal cord injury, spinal deformities can result in the development of back contours that deviate from the shape of standard rigid back support shells.

Development of a contextually appropriate, reliable and valid basic Wheelchair Service Provision Test.

Purpose: Currently, there is no internationally accepted way to measure the competency of wheelchair service professionals. The International Society of Wheelchair Professionals aims to develop a Wheelchair Service Provision - Basic Test as a preliminary step towards establishing a certification process.

Method: A team of wheelchair service provision experts developed test questions and conducted alpha and beta testing in order to validate them.

Design and focus group evaluation of a bed-integrated weight measurement system for wheelchair users.

Regular weight monitoring is known to help with weight management, which is an important part of maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. Unfortunately, weight monitoring is challenging for wheelchair users because the few scales that are available are expensive and very large. Consequently, wheelchair users typically learn their weight at infrequent visits to their healthcare providers, which likely contributes to higher prevalence of obesity-related health risks among this population.

Comfort and stability of wheelchair backrests according to the TAWC (tool for assessing wheelchair discomfort).

Purpose: The goal of this study was thus to determine if people with different types of wheelchair backrests on their personal wheelchairs reported different levels of comfort as measured by the Tool for Assessing Wheelchair disComfort (TAWC).

Methods: Participants were between 18 and 80 years of age and were manual wheelchair users. The TAWC was used to assess the participants' wheelchair seating discomfort levels with the wheelchair and seating systems.

Exploration of health perceptions and assistive technology use by driving status as related to transportation independence in New Delhi, India.

Purpose: This study investigates travel tendencies among people with disabilities and senior citizens in New Delhi, India to reveal relationships between the desire for transportation independence, use of assistive technology for mobility, travel frequency, and satisfaction with available modes of transportation.

Method: Study volunteers received invitations to complete a one-time, three-part questionnaire. The survey included an assessment battery developed by the Quality of Life Technology Engineering Research Center, questions featured in the 2002 National Transportation Availability and Use Survey, and a variation on the PARTS/M and FABS/M questionnaires.