Barriers in accessibility of community reintegration of spinal cord injury patients

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the barriers in accessibility of community reintegration of SCI patients. Objectives: To find out the consequences of SCI towards community reintegration, to find out the mobility and equipment related barriers in accessibility of community reintegration, to find out the environmental and transportation barriers in accessibility of SCI in community reintegration, to identify the economical state of SCI patients in community, to identify the employment opportunities of SCI patients in community, to identify the health related complication of SCI patients in community, to identify the social acceptance of SCI patients in community. Methodology: A qualitative study design was used to conduct the study where eleven participants with SCI who have completed their rehabilitation from Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) were participated selected by purposive sampling method. The data were collected by using a semi structure open ended questionnaire form and were analyzed through content analysis. Result: Out of eleven participants, seven participants were male and two were female and their mean age was 35.45 (± 7.39) years with range 26-45 years. Road traffic accident was the most common cause of injury that was around five participants and thoracic was the commonest area of injury that was around five participants. Emerging themes on the basis of content analysis: Barriers in accessibility of community reintegration are pain and bowel- bladder problem that are the common physical issues, lack of assistance and equipment issues are the most encountering problem of mobility that create barriers in accessibility, inaccessible environmental structure (slops and stairs) are the vital factors as a barriers in accessibility, inaccessible in public transport due to its infrastructure is one of the barriers in accessibility, lack of social acceptance is the mostly related factors of obstruct in accessibility and in economical aspect poverty is the barriers in accessibility of community reintegration greatly. Conclusion: This study comprehends about the experienced barriers in accessibility of community reintegration of the SCI patients where they had residual disability but they can integrate themselves if these identified barriers can resolve. So, identification of these barriers will help to give emphasize on designing the overcoming the strategy of those challenges. Key words: Spinal cord injury, barriers in accessibility, community reintegration.