Kingston Gail A, Judd Jenni, Gray Marion A
School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University , Townsville , Australia .
Disabil Rehabil. 2015;37(5):423-9. doi: 10.3109/09638288.2014.923526. Epub 2014 May 26.
This research explored the experience of receiving medical and rehabilitation intervention for rural and remote residents in North Queensland, Australia who had experienced a traumatic hand injury. This study contributes to larger project that seeks to propose a model of service delivery to rural and remote residents who have sustained a traumatic injury.
Utilising an interpretive phenomenological research design, data was gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Fifteen participants were recruited into this study and questions were designed to explore the experience of receiving medical and rehabilitation intervention following a traumatic hand injury for residents in rural and remote areas of North Queensland.
The major themes that emerged were experience of medical intervention, experience of rehabilitation, travel, and technology. Participants felt that medical practitioners had a lack of local knowledge and were concerned that delays in medical intervention resulted in ongoing impairment. They reported following the exercise program they were given, often modifying it to fit with their daily routine. Metropolitan therapists appeared to have limited understanding of issues relevant to rural and remote lifestyles. There was, quite often, no occupational therapist or physiotherapist at their local facility due to staff turnover, and, when available, they had limited experience in hand injuries. The distance and cost of travel to appointments were of significant concern. The use of telehealth or telerehabilitation received a mixed response.
Findings highlight the concerns regarding the provision of healthcare to rural and remote residents following a traumatic hand injury. These results provide the basis for recommendations surrounding the development of programs and service delivery models to address diverse needs in rural and remote areas.
本研究探讨了澳大利亚北昆士兰农村和偏远地区手部遭受创伤的居民接受医疗和康复干预的经历。本研究是一个更大项目的一部分，该项目旨在为遭受创伤性损伤的农村和偏远地区居民提出一种服务提供模式。
采用解释性现象学研究设计，通过深入的半结构化访谈收集数据。15名参与者被招募到本研究中，问题旨在探讨北昆士兰农村和偏远地区居民手部创伤后接受医疗和康复干预的经历。
出现的主要主题包括医疗干预经历、康复经历、出行和技术。参与者认为医生缺乏当地知识，并担心医疗干预的延迟会导致持续的损伤。他们报告说遵循了所给予的锻炼计划，并且经常对其进行调整以适应日常生活。大城市的治疗师似乎对与农村和偏远地区生活方式相关的问题了解有限。由于人员流动，他们当地的医疗机构经常没有职业治疗师或物理治疗师，而且即使有，他们对手部损伤的经验也有限。预约出行的距离和费用是令人极为担忧的问题。远程医疗或远程康复的使用得到了不同的反应。
研究结果凸显了手部创伤后为农村和偏远地区居民提供医疗保健方面的问题。这些结果为围绕制定项目和服务提供模式以满足农村和偏远地区多样化需求的建议提供了依据。
