Assistive Technology Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Spina Bifida

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 97; no. 2; pp. 330 - 336
• Main Authors: Johnson, Kurt L, Dudgeon, Brian, Kuehn, Carrie, Walker, William
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01-02-2007; American Public Health Association; American Journal of Public Health 2007
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Adaptive technology; Adolescent; Adult; Architectural Accessibility; Biological and medical sciences; Birth defects; Bladder; Children & youth; Citizen participation; Cumulative Trauma Disorders - etiology; Dependent Ambulation; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Diseases of the spine; Education; Employment; Environment Design; Female; Handicapped assistance devices; Hospitals, Pediatric; Humans; Intubation; Learning disabilities; Male; Malformations and congenital and or hereditary diseases involving bones. Joint deformations; Medical sciences; Meningomyelocele - physiopathology; Meningomyelocele - psychology; Meningomyelocele - rehabilitation; Miscellaneous; Mobility; Mobility Limitation; Orthopedic apparatus; Pediatrics; People with disabilities; Personal grooming; Personal Health Services; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Public transportation; Research and Practice; Self Care; Self-Help Devices - adverse effects; Self-Help Devices - classification; Self-Help Devices - utilization; Skills; Social Isolation; Social Support; Software; Spina bifida; Spinal Dysraphism - physiopathology; Spinal Dysraphism - psychology; Spinal Dysraphism - rehabilitation; Teenagers; Upper Extremity - physiopathology; Vitamin B; Washington; Wheelchairs; Young adults; United States; North America; America; Washington; Human; Nervous system diseases; Use; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Handicapped aid; Spine disease; Congenital disease; Disability; Spina bifida; Malformation; Technology; Central nervous system disease; Adolescent; Young adult; Myelomeningocele; Autonomy; Spinal cord disease; Computer aid; Public health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.050955

We sought to determine the use of assistive technology among a population of individuals with spina bifida.
We performed a descriptive analysis of individuals aged 13 to 27 years diagnosed with myelomeningocele (n=348) using data obtained from an existing database at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. We summarized disease characteristics, utilization of assistive technology, community and self-care independence, and other variables.
Eighty-four percent of the respondents lived with at least 1 of their natural parents. Fifty-seven percent used wheelchairs, 35% used braces, and 23% used walking aids. Independent self-care was a common skill, but 72% reported limited participation in structured activities. Half were aged 18 years or older; of those, only 50% had completed high school and 71% were unemployed. Those aged younger than 18 years were all still in school (100%).
Adolescents and young adults with spina bifida rely on assistive technology and specialized care routines to maintain their health. Assistive technology use for mobility is common; little is known about secondary complications associated with use of these technologies or the use of assistive technology to address learning disabilities and other societal barriers. Underutilization of assistive technology could delay successful transitions to independent living and community participation.