Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #108210

Carrie M. Kuehn, MA, MPH, Brian Dudgeon, PhD, Alyssa DiGiacomo, MPH, and Kurt L. Johnson, PhD, CRC. Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Box 356490, Seattle, WA 98195, 206-221-5687, cmkuehn@u.washington.edu

Independent living is an important aspect of quality of life for young adults and adolescents with spina bifida. However, determinants of independent living are not well understood in this population. To investigate this issue, chi-square analyses were used to examine mobility and personal care independence using cross-sectional data from a database containing information on individuals with myelomeningocele, obtained from Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, in Seattle, Washington. Individuals were considered mobility independent if they could go out of their neighborhood independently, self drive, or use public transit independently. Personal care independence was scored as low, medium or high based on the ability to routinely do eight personal care items including dressing, preparing meals, bathing, etc. Variables associated with independent mobility were gender, lesion level, type of mobility aid used, and bladder program/control. Age, shunt placement, employment, and bowel program/control were not associated with independent mobility. Personal care independence was associated with lesion level, type of mobility aid used, bladder program/control, and employment. Variables not associated with personal care independence were sex, age, shunt placement, and bowel program/control. Lesion level, type of mobility aid, and bladder program are significantly associated with mobility and personal care independence. Adolescents and young adults with more significant impairments may benefit from assistive technologies to enhance their independence.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the importance of independence for adolescents and young adults with spina bifida.
• Describe factors associated with independence in adolescents and young adults with spina bifida.
• Understand how assistive technology can improve independence in adolescents and young adults with spina bifida.

Keywords: Disability, Quality of Life

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.