Demographic Characteristics Of Veterans Who Received Wheelchairs And Scooters From Veterans Health Administration, USA

Main Category: Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy
Also Included In: Veterans / Ex-Servicemen
Article Date: 14 Apr 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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Our study characterized veterans who received wheeled mobility equipment (WME) from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) by analyzing the variance in wheelchair provision based on sex, race/ethnicity, diagnosis, and age.

A logistic regression analysis revealed associations between WME provision and age, sex, and race/ethnicity when diagnosis and number of comorbidities were controlled for. Hispanics, African Americans, and American Indians/Asians were more likely than Caucasians to receive standard wheelchairs (also the most frequently prescribed wheelchair for all diagnoses), while younger patients were more likely to receive ultralightweight wheelchairs.

Our purpose was to determine whether characteristics varied significantly according to the type of WME provided. The findings strongly suggested a disparity in the provision of wheelchairs by the VHA and that the standard of care for the provision of WME within the VHA is not of the same quality as in other populations.

This article can be found in the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development Volume 43, Number 7, Page 831

About the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development (JRRD)

JRRD has been a leading research journal in the field of rehabilitation medicine and technology for more than 40 years. JRRD, a peer-reviewed, scientifically indexed journal, publishes original research papers, review articles, as well as clinical and technical commentary from U.S. and international researchers on all rehabilitation research disciplines. JRRD's mission is to responsibly evaluate and disseminate scientific research findings impacting the rehabilitative healthcare community.

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