The overall goal of the several
different research studies is to increase the
participation in life activities for people who have difficulty walking or who
cannot walk. We want to know how different types of devices and help from people
can enable people with mobility impairments and limitations to get involved in
doing activities in their communities. We are trying to find what is important
for mobility limited individuals to do, how much choice they have and if they
are satisfied doing the activities. Another aspect of our research is studying
the different solutions communities have in enabling people to engage in
activities. Because each community has different approaches to making the
environment, buildings and programs accessible and receptive to people with
mobility impairments and limitations.
Social Policy, Classification, Participation, Environment and Assistive Technology Lab
Principal Investigator: David B. Gray, Ph.D.
Description of the Lab:
This laboratory began with a study to build a battery of assessment tools to
capture the person and environment interactions, which was funded by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1997 through 2000. The end
product of this project was a measurement assessment battery for assessing
the participation of people with mobility limitations in the context of
their homes and communities.
The CORE, contains demographic characteristics of survey participants. The Participation Survey of Mobility Limited people (PARTS/M), allows assessment of participation in daily activities. A third measure is composed of questions that address environmental barriers and facilitators, the Facilitators and Barriers survey for Mobility Limited people (FABS/M). Drafts of these assessment tools were pilot tested using members of the focus groups to provide feedback on the ease of use, clarity of the questions and sequence of the questions. The surveys were revised based on the pilot tests. The survey was administered to individuals with Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis or Cerebral Palsy Polio and people who have survived Polio or a stroke. Further inclusion criteria required that the participant use devices (canes, walkers, wheelchairs or scooters) to enhance their mobility. A total of 604 participants completed surveys. Data from these surveys was used to calculate internal consistency values for both the PARTS/M and the FABS/M.
The PARTS/M and FABS/M provide an
assessment tool that can be used to examine participation in context of the
environment and in comparison to others with mobility limitations. The
frequency and evaluative aspects of participation can be used to
characterize the lives of people with mobility limitations that represent
more than health and health related quality of life assessments, which are
not applicable to people with mobility limitations. Information from both
the PARTS/M and FABS/M can be used to examine the influence of environmental
factors and features on the frequency and evaluative aspects of
participation. These surveys are now used in other research projects at this
laboratory and other sites in the US.
The following is a list of ongoing research projects that are currently being conducted through the Washington University School of Medicine Program in Occupational Therapy.
Ergonomic Solutions for Employment for People with Mobility Limitations