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Papers by Katherine Froehlich-grobe

Women & Health, 2008

This study examined health surveys of 109 mid-western women (mean age 44.6 + 8.2 years) with impa... more This study examined health surveys of 109 mid-western women (mean age 44.6 + 8.2 years) with impaired mobility to determine whether mobility impairment severity was related to self-reported health, health care use, and engaging in health behaviors. The study also assessed which health factors were associated with pain. Women with severe mobility impairments reported poorer physical functioning, but better mental health than less severely impaired women after controlling for age, disability duration, and/or bodily pain. Degree of mobility impairment level was not significantly related to health behaviors, except having a checkup in the past year; more moderately impaired women reported these visits than mildly impaired women. Furthermore, pain was significantly associated with social functioning, general health, and secondary conditions. The findings suggest that factors beyond impairment level, such as pain, age, and disability duration are related to the health of mobility-impaired women.

Women & Health, 2008

This study examined health surveys of 109 midwestern women (mean age 44.6 +/- 8.2 years) with imp... more This study examined health surveys of 109 midwestern women (mean age 44.6 +/- 8.2 years) with impaired mobility to determine whether mobility impairment severity was related to self-reported health, health care use, and engaging in health behaviors. The study also assessed which health factors were associated with pain. Women with severe mobility impairments reported poorer physical functioning, but better mental health than less severely impaired women after controlling for age, disability duration, and/or bodily pain. Degree of mobility impairment level was not significantly related to health behaviors, except having a checkup in the past year; more moderately impaired women reported these visits than mildly impaired women. Furthermore, pain was significantly associated with social functioning, general health, and secondary conditions. The findings suggest that factors beyond impairment level, such as pain, age, and disability duration, are related to the health of mobility-impaired women.

Quality of Life Research, 2008

Objective Examine psychometric properties of the SF-36 and SF-36E for mobility-impaired individua... more Objective Examine psychometric properties of the SF-36 and SF-36E for mobility-impaired individuals and assess whether the SF-36E yields higher health-related quality-oflife scores. Methods We altered the SF-36 Physical Function scale by substituting the word ''go'' for ''walk'' and ''climb'' and changed the stem to reflect function using assistive devices. We compared responses between versions for 201 individuals with disabilities (n = 95 wheelchair users, n = 48 other device users, 58 = no device users). Results Both surveys yielded reliable scores, but floor and ceiling effects occurred with both versions. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrate good fit for the SF-36 and SF36E, but were compromised by low sample size. Respondents demonstrated significantly better Role Physical, Bodily Pain, and Vitality on the SF-36E, but worse General Health. Conclusions The World Health Organization framework, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) suggests that it is important to know both what one can do without assistance (capacity) and what one can do with assistance (performance). Results suggest that the SF-36E successfully measures performance among mobility-impaired individuals, including wheelchair users. However, further validation studies of the SF-36 and SF-36E are warranted with samples of individuals with disabilities.

Disability and Health Journal, 2012

Background: Stress negatively influences health, but few scales capture unique stressors encounte... more Background: Stress negatively influences health, but few scales capture unique stressors encountered by people with physical disability.

Disability and Health Journal, 2008

public housing facilities play an important role in housing individuals with physical disabilitie... more public housing facilities play an important role in housing individuals with physical disabilities, including older adults, who are unable to afford private housing. This study assessed general features of physical access in the common use areas of 14 federally subsidized, urban public housing facilities. fourteen public housing facilities were assessed by trained field assessors for 6 features of accessibility. most housing facilities had at least 1 parking space designated with a vertical sign (86%), an entrance that was level or had a ramp (86%), and a 32-inch wide exterior door (71%). Half (50%) had a public restroom designated by signage as accessible, and most of these bathrooms had 32-inch-wide doorways and at least 1 grab bar near the toilet (86%). Most housing managers were able to identify building modifications that had been made to satisfy accessibility regulations. the results suggest that relatively large proportions (14%-29%) of federally funded housing facilities are not complying with federal regulations. Better education and compliance are needed to ensure access for all in public housing facilities.

Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2012

There is growing interest in promoting health for people with disabilities, yet evidence regardin... more There is growing interest in promoting health for people with disabilities, yet evidence regarding community-based interventions is sparse. This paper describes the design details of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that will test the effectiveness of a multi-component behaviorally based, intervention to promote exercise adoption (over 6 months) and maintenance (up to one year) among wheelchair users and includes descriptive data on participant characteristics at baseline. Participants were randomly assigned to either a staff-supported intervention group or a self-guided comparison group. The primary study aim is to assess the effectiveness of the multi-component behaviorally based intervention for promoting physical activity adoption and maintenance. The RCT will also assess the physical and psychosocial effects of the intervention and the complex interplay of factors that influence the effectiveness of the intervention. Therefore, the primary outcome derives from participant reports of weekly exercise (type, frequency, duration) over 52 weeks. Secondary outcomes collected on four occasions (baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months) included physiological outcomes (VO 2 peak, strength), disability-related outcomes (pain, fatigue, participation), and psychosocial outcomes (exercise self-efficacy, exercise barriers, quality of life, depression, mood). This study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a multi-component behaviorally based intervention for promoting exercise adoption among people with mobility impairments that necessitate wheelchair use.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2011

Women & Health, 2008

This study examined health surveys of 109 mid-western women (mean age 44.6 + 8.2 years) with impa... more This study examined health surveys of 109 mid-western women (mean age 44.6 + 8.2 years) with impaired mobility to determine whether mobility impairment severity was related to self-reported health, health care use, and engaging in health behaviors. The study also assessed which health factors were associated with pain. Women with severe mobility impairments reported poorer physical functioning, but better mental health than less severely impaired women after controlling for age, disability duration, and/or bodily pain. Degree of mobility impairment level was not significantly related to health behaviors, except having a checkup in the past year; more moderately impaired women reported these visits than mildly impaired women. Furthermore, pain was significantly associated with social functioning, general health, and secondary conditions. The findings suggest that factors beyond impairment level, such as pain, age, and disability duration are related to the health of mobility-impaired women.

Women & Health, 2008

This study examined health surveys of 109 midwestern women (mean age 44.6 +/- 8.2 years) with imp... more This study examined health surveys of 109 midwestern women (mean age 44.6 +/- 8.2 years) with impaired mobility to determine whether mobility impairment severity was related to self-reported health, health care use, and engaging in health behaviors. The study also assessed which health factors were associated with pain. Women with severe mobility impairments reported poorer physical functioning, but better mental health than less severely impaired women after controlling for age, disability duration, and/or bodily pain. Degree of mobility impairment level was not significantly related to health behaviors, except having a checkup in the past year; more moderately impaired women reported these visits than mildly impaired women. Furthermore, pain was significantly associated with social functioning, general health, and secondary conditions. The findings suggest that factors beyond impairment level, such as pain, age, and disability duration, are related to the health of mobility-impaired women.

Quality of Life Research, 2008

Objective Examine psychometric properties of the SF-36 and SF-36E for mobility-impaired individua... more Objective Examine psychometric properties of the SF-36 and SF-36E for mobility-impaired individuals and assess whether the SF-36E yields higher health-related quality-oflife scores. Methods We altered the SF-36 Physical Function scale by substituting the word ''go'' for ''walk'' and ''climb'' and changed the stem to reflect function using assistive devices. We compared responses between versions for 201 individuals with disabilities (n = 95 wheelchair users, n = 48 other device users, 58 = no device users). Results Both surveys yielded reliable scores, but floor and ceiling effects occurred with both versions. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrate good fit for the SF-36 and SF36E, but were compromised by low sample size. Respondents demonstrated significantly better Role Physical, Bodily Pain, and Vitality on the SF-36E, but worse General Health. Conclusions The World Health Organization framework, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) suggests that it is important to know both what one can do without assistance (capacity) and what one can do with assistance (performance). Results suggest that the SF-36E successfully measures performance among mobility-impaired individuals, including wheelchair users. However, further validation studies of the SF-36 and SF-36E are warranted with samples of individuals with disabilities.

Disability and Health Journal, 2012

Background: Stress negatively influences health, but few scales capture unique stressors encounte... more Background: Stress negatively influences health, but few scales capture unique stressors encountered by people with physical disability.

Disability and Health Journal, 2008

public housing facilities play an important role in housing individuals with physical disabilitie... more public housing facilities play an important role in housing individuals with physical disabilities, including older adults, who are unable to afford private housing. This study assessed general features of physical access in the common use areas of 14 federally subsidized, urban public housing facilities. fourteen public housing facilities were assessed by trained field assessors for 6 features of accessibility. most housing facilities had at least 1 parking space designated with a vertical sign (86%), an entrance that was level or had a ramp (86%), and a 32-inch wide exterior door (71%). Half (50%) had a public restroom designated by signage as accessible, and most of these bathrooms had 32-inch-wide doorways and at least 1 grab bar near the toilet (86%). Most housing managers were able to identify building modifications that had been made to satisfy accessibility regulations. the results suggest that relatively large proportions (14%-29%) of federally funded housing facilities are not complying with federal regulations. Better education and compliance are needed to ensure access for all in public housing facilities.

Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2012

There is growing interest in promoting health for people with disabilities, yet evidence regardin... more There is growing interest in promoting health for people with disabilities, yet evidence regarding community-based interventions is sparse. This paper describes the design details of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that will test the effectiveness of a multi-component behaviorally based, intervention to promote exercise adoption (over 6 months) and maintenance (up to one year) among wheelchair users and includes descriptive data on participant characteristics at baseline. Participants were randomly assigned to either a staff-supported intervention group or a self-guided comparison group. The primary study aim is to assess the effectiveness of the multi-component behaviorally based intervention for promoting physical activity adoption and maintenance. The RCT will also assess the physical and psychosocial effects of the intervention and the complex interplay of factors that influence the effectiveness of the intervention. Therefore, the primary outcome derives from participant reports of weekly exercise (type, frequency, duration) over 52 weeks. Secondary outcomes collected on four occasions (baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months) included physiological outcomes (VO 2 peak, strength), disability-related outcomes (pain, fatigue, participation), and psychosocial outcomes (exercise self-efficacy, exercise barriers, quality of life, depression, mood). This study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a multi-component behaviorally based intervention for promoting exercise adoption among people with mobility impairments that necessitate wheelchair use.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2011