Descriptive study of bowel care practices and equipment in spinal cord injury.

46% of the 277 SCI veterans responding to the survey used bowel care/shower chairs at home. Of those who regularly used these chairs (N = 147), over 66% felt their safety was compromised by their use. Caregivers reported similar dissatisfaction with existing bowel care/shower chairs. Primary concerns related to difficulty in assisting with safe transfers were, lack of hand access to perianal area for digital stimulation, lack of ease in rolling and turning the chair, difficulty in keeping the chair clean, and lack of durability of chair, particularly with brakes and seat. Primary safety risks included patient falls and pressure ulcer development. Reports of chair related patient falls (35%) and pressure ulcers (24%) were common in the SCI patients surveyed. Less than 54% were satisfied with the design and usability of bowel care/shower chairs.