The late effects of poliomyelitis in Queensland

This paper reports an investigation of new health problems reported by Queensland residents with a prior history of poliomyelitis. 126 people with a past history of paralytic poliomyelitis were recruited from the waiting list for the trial Post Polio Clinic at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Brisbane. A self-administered postal questionnaire was used to examine a number of variables including acute poliomyelitis histories; presence, duration and severity of new symptoms consistent with the late effects of poliomyelitis; changes in functional status between the maximal recovery period and the time of the survey and the impact of post-polio symptoms on lifestyle and employment. The most frequent new symptoms reported were muscle weakness (87 per cent), unusual tiredness (79 per cent), joint pain (79 per cent), muscle pain (61 per cent) and muscle cramps (71 per cent). Subjects reported an increased reliance on assistive devices and a decreased level of independence with activities of daily living, particularly with mobility-related tasks. Eight three per cent of subjects had made lifestyle changes as a result of post-polio symptoms and 67 per cent of those subjects in the workforce reported making changes to their employment, such as reduced hours of work. (author abstract)

Rehabilitation approaches to promote successful unilateral and bilateral fittings and avoid inappropriate prescription

Successful hearing aid fitting occurs when the person fitted wears the aid/s on a regular basis and reports benefit when the aid/s is used. A significant number of people fitted with unilateral or bilateral hearing aids for the first time do not continue to use one or both aids in the long term. In this paper, factors consistently found in previous research to be associated with unsuccessful fitting are explored; in particular, the negative attitudes of some clients towards hearing aids, their lack of motivation for seeking help, inability to identify goals for rehabilitation, and problems with the management of the devices. It is argued here that success in hearing aid fitting involves the same dynamics as found with other assistive technologies (e.g., wheelchairs, walking frames), and is dependent on a match between the characteristics of a prospective user, the technology itself, and the environments of use (Scherer, 2002). It is recommended that for clients who identify concerns about hearing aids, or who are unsure about when they would use them, and/or are likely to have problems with aid management, only one aid be fitted in the first instance, if hearing aid fitting is to proceed at all. Rehabilitation approaches to promote successful fitting are discussed in light of results obtained from a survey of clients who experienced both successful and unsuccessful aid fitting.

Consumer-identified barriers and strategies for optimizing technology use in the workplace

Purpose. This article explores the experiences of 26 assistive technology (AT) users having a range of physical impairments as they optimized their use of technology in the workplace. Method. A qualitative research design was employed using in-depth, open-ended interviews and observations of AT users in the workplace. Results. Participants identified many factors that limited their use of technology such as discomfort and pain, limited knowledge of the technology's features, and the complexity of the technology. The amount of time required for training, limited work time available for mastery, cost of training and limitations of the training provided, resulted in an over-reliance on trial and error and informal support networks and a sense of isolation. AT users enhanced their use of technology by addressing the ergonomics of the workstation and customizing the technology to address individual needs and strategies. Other key strategies included tailored training and learning support as well as opportunities to practice using the technology and explore its features away from work demands. Conclusions. This research identified structures important for effective AT use in the workplace which need to be put in place to ensure that AT users are able to master and optimize their use of technology.