TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding the Global Challenges to Accessing Appropriate Wheelchairs: Position Paper

AU - Gowran, Rosemary Joan

AU - Bray, Nathan

AU - Goldberg, Mary

AU - Rushton, Paula

AU - Barhouche Abou Saab, Marie

AU - Constantine, David

AU - Ghosh, Ritu

AU - Pearlman, Jonathan

PY - 2021/3/24

Y1 - 2021/3/24

N2 - Appropriate wheelchairs are often essential for the health and wellbeing of people with mobility impairments to enhance fundamental freedoms and equal opportunity. To date, provision has mainly focused on just delivering the wheelchair instead of following an evidence-based wheelchair service delivery process. In addition, many governments have not committed to a national wheelchair provision policy. To prepare this position paper, a systemic development model, founded on the sustainable human security paradigm, was employed to explore the global challenges to accessing appropriate wheelchairs. Positions: I: Consideration of key perspectives of wheelchair provision across the life course is essential to meet the needs to children, adults, older people and their families; II: Comprehensive wheelchair service delivery processes and a competent workforce are essential to ensure appropriate wheelchair service provision; III: Evaluations on wheelchair product quality development, performance and procurement standards are key as wheelchair product quality is generally poor; IV: Understanding the economic landscape when providing wheelchairs is critical. Wheelchair funding systems vary across jurisdictions; V: Establishing wheelchair provision policy is a key priority, as specific policy is limited globally. The vision is to take positive action to develop appropriate and sustainable wheelchair service provision systems globally, for me, for you, for us.

AB - Appropriate wheelchairs are often essential for the health and wellbeing of people with mobility impairments to enhance fundamental freedoms and equal opportunity. To date, provision has mainly focused on just delivering the wheelchair instead of following an evidence-based wheelchair service delivery process. In addition, many governments have not committed to a national wheelchair provision policy. To prepare this position paper, a systemic development model, founded on the sustainable human security paradigm, was employed to explore the global challenges to accessing appropriate wheelchairs. Positions: I: Consideration of key perspectives of wheelchair provision across the life course is essential to meet the needs to children, adults, older people and their families; II: Comprehensive wheelchair service delivery processes and a competent workforce are essential to ensure appropriate wheelchair service provision; III: Evaluations on wheelchair product quality development, performance and procurement standards are key as wheelchair product quality is generally poor; IV: Understanding the economic landscape when providing wheelchairs is critical. Wheelchair funding systems vary across jurisdictions; V: Establishing wheelchair provision policy is a key priority, as specific policy is limited globally. The vision is to take positive action to develop appropriate and sustainable wheelchair service provision systems globally, for me, for you, for us.

KW - appropriate wheelchairs

KW - assistive technology

KW - human security

KW - sustainable development

U2 - 10.3390/ijerph18073338

DO - 10.3390/ijerph18073338

M3 - Article

C2 - 33804868

VL - 18

JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SN - 1660-4601

IS - 7

M1 - 3338

ER -