BACKGROUND: Manual wheelchairs (MWCs) are essential for individuals with mobility impairments, yet many users receive limited training, restricting mobility and participation. Innovative alternatives to therapist-led approaches, including eHealth and peer-led interventions, are emerging to address this gap. PURPOSE: This follow-up study examined long-term retention of participation and related outcomes 6 months after an eHealth wheelchair skills training program. Secondary aims explored associations between participant demographics, program engagement and post-intervention outcomes. METHODS: A repeated-measures cohort design was used with intervention participants from a multi-site randomised trial conducted across three Canadian urban centres. Nineteen adults using MWCs completed the 4-week FINDINGS: At 6 months, participants ( UNLABELLED: Clinical Trial Registration No. NCT04090177. Peer-led, eHealth-based wheelchair skills training is a promising alternative to traditional therapist-led training, supporting improved participation, skills and confidence among manual wheelchair users.Findings demonstrate sustained improvements in participation, wheelchair skills capacity and self-efficacy 6-months after intervention, highlighting the potential long-term benefits of integrating eHealth and peer-led approaches into rehabilitation.Greater engagement with eHealth program was associated with larger improvements, underscoring the importance of participant adherence to training guidelines.
Giesbrecht et al. (Fri,) studied this question.