Publications by authors named "Shirley G Fitzgerald"

Objectives: To examine variation in provision of assistive technology (AT) devices and the extent to which such variation may be explained by patient characteristics or Veterans Health Administration (VHA) administrative region.

Design: Retrospective population-based study.

Setting: VHA.

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Background: The increase in provision of assistive technology devices (ATDs) has spurred controversy over Medicare policy aimed at reducing cost-policy that forces social isolation and conflicts with legislation, facilitating participation for individuals with disabilities. In contrast, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) policy does not limit provision of AT to "in home" use only but rather, states "all enrolled and some non-enrolled veterans are eligible for all needed prosthetics."

Objectives: Examine ATD provision policy by comparing 2 systems, Medicare and VA.

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We determined the demographic, health, functional, and satisfaction factors related to lower-limb prosthesis or wheelchair use among veterans with lower-limb amputation. Forty-two veterans were recruited from the 20th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic and the 26th National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Participants were at least 18 years of age, had a lower-limb amputation, and were either prosthesis or wheelchair users.

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Objective: To investigate relationships between carpal tunnel syndrome, functional status, subject demographics, physical examination findings, and median nerve conduction study findings in manual wheelchair users with paraplegia.

Design: Multicenter cross-sectional study. One hundred twenty-six manual wheelchair-using individuals with chronic paraplegia answered self-administered questionnaires on demographics, symptoms, and functional status.

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The purpose of this study was to develop the scoring system for the Seating and Mobility Script Concordance Test (SMSCT), obtain and appraise internal and external structure evidence, and assess the validity of the SMSCT. The SMSCT purpose is to provide a method for testing knowledge of seating and mobility prescription. A sample of 106 therapists and 15 spinal cord injury experts contributed to the development of the scoring system.

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Objectives: Considerable morbidity persists among survivors of breast cancer (BC) including high levels of psychological stress, anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and physical symptoms including pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, and impaired quality of life. Effective interventions are needed during this difficult transitional period.

Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 84 female BC survivors (Stages 0-III) recruited from the H.

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This study examined the usage of powered seating functions, including tilt-in-space, backrest recline, and seat elevation, among a group of wheelchair users during their typical daily activities. Twelve individuals who used a power wheelchair with seating functions participated in the study. They drove their own wheelchair and used the seating functions as needed in their community environment for about 2 weeks while the seating function usage was recorded with a portable device.

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Objective: Several of the casualties from Operation Iraqi Freedom arriving at one Veterans Administration (VA) polytrauma rehabilitation center (PRC) were noted to have occipital pressure ulcers or hair loss. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of pressure-related injuries in VA PRC admissions.

Methods: A retrospective review of admissions from active duty from 2004 to 2006 was performed.

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A variety of external hip protectors are available on the market but no standards for their performance exist and it is unknown if their properties change after repeated fall impacts. The purpose of this study was to determine if protective properties change in different types of new (unused) hip protectors after repeated, simulated falls. Five hip protector brands were chosen to represent different products available on the market and the two mechanisms employed in reducing the force of an impact (shunting or absorbing).

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Objectives: This preliminary study was to evaluate the impact of pushrim- activated power-assist wheelchairs (PAPAWs) on mobility, community participation, satisfaction, and psychosocial impact among individuals with tetraplegia.

Design: Fifteen manual wheelchair users with tetraplegia completed a 4-wk protocol including a 2-wk trial where they used their personal wheelchairs for mobility and a 2-wk trial where they were provided with a PAPAW and could choose either wheelchair for mobility. The mobility levels with both wheelchairs were recorded by a datalogger.

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Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a frequent complication for military personnel, veterans, athletes, and travelers at high altitudes. Symptoms may occur in individuals with less cerebrospinal fluid volume and less ability to accommodate increased brain volume. No studies on AMS exist in individuals with neurological impairments.

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of individuals who participate in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG) and the Winter Sports Clinic (WSC) for veterans with disabilities. In addition, it was of interest to determine how these events had impacted their lives.

Method: Participants were recruited at the 20th Winter Sports Clinic, held in Snowmass Colorado and the 26th National Veterans Wheelchair Games held in Anchorage, Alaska.

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Manual wheelchair users are subjected to whole-body vibrations (WBV) on a regular basis as they traverse obstacles and uneven surfaces. One way users could protect themselves from secondary injuries related to WBV is by using a suspension manual wheelchair. This study investigated the ability of suspension manual wheelchairs to reduce seat accelerations during curb descents of various heights (5, 10, and 15 cm).

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For the 2.2 million people who use wheelchairs in the United States, transportation is often needed for independence in the community. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of transportation use in a population of wheelchair users and to examine the motor vehicle crash involvement and injury frequency of these users.

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A total of 283 wheelchair-seated bus riders responded to a 35-item Web-based survey investigating their experiences on public, fixed-route buses. The survey addressed the use of wheelchair tiedowns and occupant restraint systems (WTORS), the attitudes and behaviors of wheelchair users toward the use of this equipment, and the transit experience. Results indicate that consistent use of four-point tiedown and occupant restraint systems is fairly low.

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Objective: Women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The goals of this study were to determine the extent of atherosclerotic progression among women with SLE compared with a group of healthy controls and to determine whether factors attributed to SLE or its treatment were associated with atherosclerotic progression independent of traditional CVD risk factors.

Methods: A longitudinal study of women with SLE from the Pittsburgh Lupus Registry was conducted.

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During fiscal years 2000 and 2001, the Veterans Health Administration provided veterans with more than 131,000 wheelchairs and scooters at a cost of $109 million. This national study is the first to investigate Veterans Health Administration costs in providing wheelchairs and scooters and to compare regional prescription patterns. With a retrospective design, we used descriptive methods to analyze fiscal years 2000 and 2001 National Prosthetics Patient Database data (cleaned data set of 113,724 records).

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Wheelchair users rely on their wheelchairs for mobility for extended periods of time every day. According to the International Standards Organization 2631-1 standard on human vibration, individuals in a seated position when exposed to whole-body vibrations (WBV) are at risk of injury. This study evaluated vibration exposure during manual and power wheelchair driving over nine sidewalk surfaces and differences in vibration exposure over 3 years.

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Although engaging in an active lifestyle is beneficial for maintaining quality of life, a majority of wheelchair users are inactive. This study investigated the mobility characteristics and activity levels of manual wheelchair users in the residential setting and at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG). Demographic factors that may have influenced activity in the home environment were also identified.

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This paper provides an overview of the development of a wheelchair users registry and subsequently describes a population of individuals who use wheelchairs. The characteristics of Americans who permanently use wheelchairs and scooters are currently unknown. As the result of developing a Registry of individuals who use wheeled mobility devices for systematic recruitment for research studies, this study provides a description of a nationwide sample of over 1000 individuals who used wheelchairs or scooters for their daily mobility.

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Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) report decreased satisfaction with their mobility devices compared with individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). This study (1) investigated the demographic differences between veterans with MS (V-MS) and veterans with SCI (V-SCI) who were issued a wheelchair by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and (2) described differences in mobility device prescription. We merged two VHA databases to obtain demographic and wheelchair information for all V-MS and V-SCI in 2000 and 2001.

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For individuals with a spinal cord injury or dysfunction (SCI/D), opportunities to exercise are limited and are usually not highly motivating experiences. Exercise programs or extracurricular activities may help increase or maintain the cardiovascular fitness level of individuals with SCI/D. The GAME(Wheels) system, an interface between a portable roller system and a computer, enables an individual to control a video game by propelling his or her wheelchair.

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Innovations to control interfaces for electric powered wheelchairs (EPWs) could benefit 220000 current users and over 125000 individuals who desire mobility but cannot use a conventional motion sensing joystick (MSJ). We developed a digital isometric joystick (IJ) with sophisticated signal processing and two control functions. In a prior study, subjects' driving accuracy with our IJ was comparable to using an MSJ.

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Little is known about the reasoning process clinicians use when prescribing wheeled mobility equipment (WME) or about the outcomes of this process, i.e., how many devices are prescribed, to whom, how often, and at what cost.

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With about 2.2 million Americans currently using wheeled mobility devices, wheelchairs are frequently provided to people with impaired mobility to provide accessibility to the community. Individuals with spinal cord injuries, arthritis, balance disorders, and other conditions or diseases are typical users of wheelchairs.

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