Wheelchair Training Curricula in Rehabilitation Profession: Pilot Study

Background: Wheelchair is one of most common rehabilitation interventions for mobility assistance. In developing countries, wheelchair delivery is mostly done by charity/religious organizations or by non-governmental organizations, whereas in developed countries it is mostly by the private/insurance agencies without proper assessment and fitting.Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify gaps in wheelchair training including number of hours for theory and practical experience in the course curricula of rehabilitation professions such as Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy (OT), and Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) programs around the world.Methods: A brief survey was conducted using a short questionnaire through email. The questionnaire was emailed to OT, PT and O&P institutions in 45 countries. Descriptive summaries were used to categorize various institution based on ‘Yes/ No' responses regarding course curricula and number of hours in practical wheelchair training.Results: There is little mention about wheelchair service provision, prescription criteria in particular in the course curriculum of PT, OT and O&P in most parts of the world. Even in the developed countries, numbers of hours for practical wheelchair training and content were not sufficient to develop a good standard of practice. Conclusion: The study identifies a need for formalize wheelchair training as part of OT, PT, and O&P curricula. The World Health Organization is currently working on a Wheelchair Training Package. The aim is to establish a core competency among the rehabilitation professionals for provision of appropriate wheelchairs, and to improve integration of wheelchair service delivery within rehabilitation services universally.