Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in the United States. For children and adolescents five to eighteen years of age, accidents and violence are the most frequent causes of death (10/100,000 deaths, incidence of 185/1000). With technical advances in medicine and emergency services, the number of children surviving traumatic injuries has increased, but consequently so have the disabilities and long-term effects on quality of life. Children with disabilities require various supports to allow them to continue in school, maximize their participation in social and family activities, and to develop into healthy productive adults. The use of assistive technology (AT) as a component of the rehabilitation process has increased, particularly during the last decade. However very little systematic information exists regarding the impact of these devices (Gray, 1998). The specific goal of the Rehabilitation Science and Engineering Consortium (RSEC) is to develop a Phase III Clinical Trial designed to measure the longitudinal impact of assistive technology on children and adolescents with disabilities. The conceptual framework is based on the work of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR).
The specific aim of this proposal is to continue the group's expertise to: (1) further define the infrastructure necessary for successful implementation of a longitudinal clinical trial; (2) create a mechanism to develop clinical trials; (3) select variables and define tools necessary to collect data; and (4) create a collaborative secure multi-site longitudinal data collection system.
