Facilitators and Barriers to Social Participation & Community Mobility Post-Spinal Cord Injury
Event Type
Presentation
Start Date
12-9-2018 9:00 AM
End Date
12-9-2018 12:00 PM
Description
Purpose: This study investigated the facilitators and barriers to accessing one’s community and the ability to engage in social participation following an acquired spinal cord injury.
Method: Participants were recruited via Facebook support groups for people with spinal cord injuries. This study used a mixed methods design using a 34 item Likert scale questionnaire with an additional four open-ended response questions. Quantitative data was analyzed via SPSS v25 using descriptive statistics. Open-ended responses were categorized and coded into themes.
Results: Of the 43 total participants, thirty-four individuals completed the survey in full, while nine participants provided partial responses, most frequently leaving the open-ended questions incomplete. Thirty three percent of participants rated their quality of life as either excellent or very good, while 7% stated it to be poor. Twenty-three participants identified driving themselves as the primary and preferred method of transportation. Seeing family and friends as well as participating in recreational activities was identified as most important. The three most significant facilitators participants identified were driving an adaptive vehicle, use of customized wheelchair, and the support of family and friends. Participants identified the three most significant barriers as lack of ADA standards being upheld in public places, lack of available handicapped parking, and relying on poor public transportation.
Conclusion: The identified facilitators and barriers in this study were similar to prior research. Future research should include a more indepth evaluation of how each of the presented barriers can be more significantly addressed in order to reduce their impact on individuals’ post-spinal cord injury as they participate in the social participation tasks most meaningful to them.
Recommended Citation
McCarthy, D., D'Amico, M., Clark, L., Hunnicutt, C., Parker, E., & Langford, O. (2018), Facilitators and Barriers to Social Participation & Community Mobility Post-Spinal Cord Injury, Presentation, Fourth Annual Research Colloquium, https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ot_colloquium/fourth/events/8
Facilitators and Barriers to Social Participation & Community Mobility Post-Spinal Cord Injury
Purpose: This study investigated the facilitators and barriers to accessing one’s community and the ability to engage in social participation following an acquired spinal cord injury.
Method: Participants were recruited via Facebook support groups for people with spinal cord injuries. This study used a mixed methods design using a 34 item Likert scale questionnaire with an additional four open-ended response questions. Quantitative data was analyzed via SPSS v25 using descriptive statistics. Open-ended responses were categorized and coded into themes.
Results: Of the 43 total participants, thirty-four individuals completed the survey in full, while nine participants provided partial responses, most frequently leaving the open-ended questions incomplete. Thirty three percent of participants rated their quality of life as either excellent or very good, while 7% stated it to be poor. Twenty-three participants identified driving themselves as the primary and preferred method of transportation. Seeing family and friends as well as participating in recreational activities was identified as most important. The three most significant facilitators participants identified were driving an adaptive vehicle, use of customized wheelchair, and the support of family and friends. Participants identified the three most significant barriers as lack of ADA standards being upheld in public places, lack of available handicapped parking, and relying on poor public transportation.
Conclusion: The identified facilitators and barriers in this study were similar to prior research. Future research should include a more indepth evaluation of how each of the presented barriers can be more significantly addressed in order to reduce their impact on individuals’ post-spinal cord injury as they participate in the social participation tasks most meaningful to them.