A new survey from the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program is seeking input from all wheelchair stakeholders.
In an invitation from the University of Pittsburgh, Project Co-Investigators Mark Schmeler, Ph.D., OTR/L, ATP, and Brad Dicianno, MD, called the survey “part of a larger Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project funded to investigate and propose a new policy that better aligns with the needs of people who use wheelchairs as well as those who provide or pay for them.”
The research team is asking for “broad feedback” from people who use wheelchairs; their caregivers and care partners; clinicians; suppliers; manufacturers; policy makers; and funding sources “to identify the benefits and short-comings of various types of existing wheelchair policies both in the United States and around the world.”
The survey asks participants’ perceptions on a range of wheelchair provision-related topics, such as how easy it is to understand the process of obtaining a wheelchair; whether insurance coverage policies for wheelchairs are complicated; whether trial equipment is typically available; and whether wheelchairs are durable, with high-quality design and manufacturing.
While the survey asks for some demographic information, the survey invitation says, “No identifiable information will be gathered about people who complete the survey.”
Survey results “will be aggregated and used for consideration in the development of a new proposed policy,” the invitation added.
Click here to access the survey.
