The meaning of hope for individuals with spinal cord injury in Brazil

Aim: To understand the meaning of hope among individuals with spinal cord injury. Design: A qualitative study employing the ethnographic method was used, with 18 individuals. Method: Participant observation was chosen to understand individuals with spinal cord injury and interviews were used to elicit information about the hope experience. The data were analysed using Ernst Bloch's theory of hope. Findings: Participants constructed their own personality and sense of self, including their hopes for their future, based on their life before their injury. Life after experiencing spinal cord injury highlighted the limitations and potentialities of their hopes. Using a sense of hope to establish goals for the future helped participants overcome obstacles. Conclusion: Hope in people with spinal cord injury helped them cope with the fundamental changes to their daily lives. Hope played an important role in articulating coping strategies and setting and achieving goals. These findings may help nurses understand the limits and potentialities of hope as an instigator of goals in the daily life of individuals with spinal cord injury.

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Coping strategies of family caregivers in spinal cord injury: a qualitative study

Disability and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1080/09638288.2020.1764638 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Claudia Zanini ◽

Maddalena Fiordelli ◽

Julia Amann ◽

Mirjam Brach ◽

Armin Gemperli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Cord Injury

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Needs and Wishes for the Future Exoskeleton: an Interview Study Among People With Spinal Cord Injury With Community-based Exoskeleton Experience

10.21203/rs.3.rs-135258/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Rosanne B. van Dijsseldonk ◽

Joke E. Vriezekolk ◽

Noël L.W. Keijsers ◽

Alexander C.H. Geurts ◽

Ilse J.W. van Nes

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Social Interaction ◽

Daily Life ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Daily Activities ◽

Full Potential ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Cord Injury ◽

The Future

Abstract Background: Exoskeleton use by people with complete spinal cord injury (SCI) in daily life is still a challenge. To optimize its daily life use, a better understanding of the purpose of use and the accompanying improvements are needed. The perspective of experienced exoskeleton users provides an important contribution to the improvement of future exoskeletons.Methods: Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were held with 13 people with SCI, who were experienced exoskeleton users. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed thematically.Results: Participants expressed three future purposes of exoskeleton use: for daily activities, exercise, and social interaction. Exoskeleton use during daily activities was the ultimate goal. Therefore, the future exoskeleton should be: easy to use, small and lightweight, tailor made, safe, comfortable, less distinctive, durable, and affordable. Improving the ease of use was relevant for all purposes, for all participants. The other suggestions for improvement varied depending on the purpose of use and the participant. Conclusions: Increasingly more advanced improvements to future exoskeletons are needed to transition from an exercise purpose, to social interaction, and ultimately use during daily activities. In the current study, detailed suggestions for improvements from experienced exoskeleton users have been made. Only when multiple of these suggestions are adjusted, can the exoskeleton be used to its full potential.

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