There is an urgent need for a global shift toward more sustainable living. Electric vehicles contribute to this goal; however, the transition is challenging, particularly due to high purchase costs, which can be a particular hindrance for people with disabilities. Only a few individuals currently drive electric vehicles with necessary adaptations, and the insights and experiences of these early adopters can offer valuable knowledge. The aim of this study is to explore the motives and initial experiences of Swedish persons who drive electric vehicles with car adaptations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among nine people living with physical impairments who drove an electric car with adaptations. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The motives for shifting from fossil-fuel vehicles to electric vehicles included long-term economic benefits, environmental aspects, practical advantages, and interest in new technologies and cars. Interviewees generally found it easy to adapt to their new electric vehicles, although some needed to establish new routines for charging during long-distance trips. Participants highlighted functional advantages—such as remote heating, and spacious interiors—as particularly beneficial for their needs. Home charging was perceived as a major enabler of independent mobility, while limited accessibility at public charging stations and insufficient financial support posed challenges. Despite these barriers, the perceived benefits of electric vehicle ownership predominated. These findings highlight the need for inclusive infrastructure and revised policy frameworks to ensure that individuals with physical impairments can fully participate in the transition to fossil-free mobility.

Introduction: Persons living with spinal cord injury (SCI) often lacks access to outdoor mobility, which can significantly impact their ability to participate in activities outside the home, to take part in their community, and to have meaningful occupations and relationships with loved ones. Purpose: To better understand the importance of outdoor mobility for persons with SCI, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore transport modes, car adaptations, and their perceived function and safety. Method: A web-survey, addressing outdoor mobility and driving, was distributed among people with different physical impairments. Of 274 responses, a total of 93 reported living with SCI and were selected for this study. Results: Public transportation was often underutilized due to inaccessibility and distance. In total, 88 persons (95%) owned a car. Almost everyone used their car weekly (97%) and the annual average driving distance was 17,400 km (SD 22,820 km). Most of the car owners had a station wagon (63%) or van/minibus (27%) and larger vehicles were more common among those needing extensive adaptations (p = 0.014). Discussion: The results corroborate earlier findings on public transport for persons living with SCI and the importance of their having a suitably modified vehicle. The results also offer insights into outdoor mobility and car driving among persons with SCI in Sweden that can support accessibility planning and promote innovations in transport options. Persons living with SCI and other physical impairments could benefit from a comprehensive, national-level knowledge base that encompasses outdoor mobility and car adaptations and their implications for these populations.

Background and Aim: To address knowledge gaps in safe patient handling and mobility methods (SPHMM) among rehabilitation professionals in Sweden, a national knowledge center, HMC, provides training on SPHMM. The study's aim was to report on outcomes at 3 months after training in terms of self-perceived competence in SPHMM and self-perceived utility of acquired competence in SPHMM. Methods: Training participants (occupational therapists and physiotherapists) completed a study-specific questionnaire, with 1065 doing so at 3 weeks before the training and 389 at 3 months after training. Linear mixed models were used for analyses. Results: Self-perceived competence improved significantly at 3 months after training (p < 0.001). Occupational therapists, specifically, and rehabilitation professionals generally with less clinical experience reported greater improvement compared to physiotherapists and those with longer experience (p < 0.001). Rehabilitation professionals overall with shorter clinical experience also reported higher self-perceived utility of the acquired SPHMM competence (p < 0.001), but occupational therapists and physiotherapists did not differ significantly (p = 0.369). Conclusion: Among rehabilitation professionals, greater self-perceived competence and self-perceived utility of the acquired competence in SPHMM is possible after HMC training. Improvements were greater for those with shorter clinical experience. By enhancing competence among rehabilitation professionals, HMC training has the potential to advance working person-centered and efficient transfer practices in interdisciplinary care settings.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this report is to describe the aggregated insights and key findings from a Swedish need assessment project. The project comprised 3 parallel studies identifying [a] needs to be met, [b] research questions, and [c] knowledge translation gaps related to enhancing the lives of people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

METHODS: The project included people living with SCI, their relatives, health professionals, and personal care assistants. Analyses were conducted with the aim of identifying commonalities and connections between the results of the 3 individual studies.

RESULTS: The aggregated insights and key findings from this project can be summarized into 3 themes. First, a well-functioning healthcare, rehabilitation, and supporting system must have a holistic perspective on what it means to live with SCI. Second, aging is about living with the SCI and getting old with the SCI. Third, when family members receive their own support, they can provide good support to the person living with SCI.

CONCLUSION: New evidence from the Swedish needs assessment project reveals the needs that currently have the greatest impact on improving the lives of people with SCI, which can guide researchers, healthcare providers, and knowledge translators.