Needs for mobility devices, home modifications and personal assistance among Canadians with disabilities

Background: People with disabilities often require assistive devices, modifications to their home environment, and physical assistance to facilitate mobility. This study examines self-reported met and unmet needs of people with disabilities who use wheeled mobility devices, compared with non-users. Data and methods: The 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability followed up with 45,442 individuals who reported a disability on the 2011 National Household Survey, and obtained a 75% response rate. Descriptive statistics with variance estimates and 95% confidence intervals were used to compare wheeled mobility device users and non-users. Results: Nearly 10% of wheeled mobility device users identified an unmet need for an additional mobility device. Compared with non-users, they were twice as likely to modify their home with a ramp and three times as likely to install a lift. The prevalence of unmet need for each type of residence adaptation among wheeled mobility device users was at least double that of non-users. Wheeled mobility device users received assistance with an average of 4.4 activities, compared with 2.0 for non-users, and reported an average of 1.9 activities for which assistance was needed but not received. About one in three relied on paid assistance; for 14% of those who paid for assistance, out-of-pocket expenses amounted to $10,000 or more annually, compared with 2% among non-users. Interpretation: Wheeled mobility device users reported a higher prevalence of met and unmet needs for residence modifications than did non-users. They required help with more activities of life on a more frequent basis, with greater dependence on paid individuals, resulting in higher out-of-pocket expenses. Power and manual wheelchair users reported greater needs than did mobility scooter users.