Exploring environmental control unit use in the age group 10-20 years

Abstract

The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyse the demography and use of Environmental control units (ECU's) within a regional setting in the age group 10–20 years. It was envisaged that this information might raise awareness and use of ECUs by health care professionals. The North Thames Regional ECU database was interrogated to identify users provided with an ECU between the ages of 10–20 years and also examined for sex, type of school attended, diagnosis, and source of referral. Of those involved in the study 54 users (39 male) with a mean age at first assessment of 14 years (range 10—20 years) had been provided with ECUs as of September 2003. Eighty nine per cent of school age users attended mainstream schools. Muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy accounted for 42% and 29% of diagnoses respectively. Seventy nine per cent of referrals came from community occupational therapists (OTs). No referrals resulting in the provision of an ECU were received directly from a neurologist or rehabilitation physician. One referral was received from a paediatrician. In North Thames, community OTs are the commonest referrers for ECUs and muscular dystrophy is the most common medical diagnosis in paediatric and adolescent users of ECUs respectively. The potential for ECUs to enable young people to remain independent and to ease the strain on their families may not be understood among other healthcare professionals.