Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Medical Surgical Nursing and Head of the Faculty, Nursing and Midwifery School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
BMC Neurol. 2019 Jul 19;19(1):171. doi: 10.1186/s12883-019-1391-6.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-changing experience for the individuals with SCI and their families. This study aimed to investigate physical strategies used for overcoming physical disability in individuals with SCI.
In this qualitative study, 17 SCI persons and 13 family caregivers were selected by a purposeful sampling. Settings of the study were Brain and SCI research (BASIR) center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Southern Social Welfare Center of Tehran and SCI Association of Tehran, Iran. Data were collected by face-to-face semi-structured interviews, which were continued until data saturation. The gathered data were concurrently analyzed by the content analysis method.
The data analysis revealed one main theme (towards overcoming physical disability) and three sub-themes: 1) physical rehabilitation by various methods; 2) tendency towards the use of alternative medical methods; and 3) making effort for self-reliance.
The participants used physiotherapy and occupational therapy as an effective and essential approach offered by the healthcare team. Some individuals with SCI with help of their family had invented simple rehabilitation equipment for help to their physical rehabilitation. However, most participants had referred to different complimentary medicine specialists based on advice friends and relatives and they often had spent a lot of time and money ineffectively. Therefore, they need training and support of the healthcare team as well as social support to achieve physical independence and physical recovery. Further research is suggested to investigate the barriers to achieving physical empowerment in people with SCI in Iran.
脊髓损伤（SCI）对 SCI 患者及其家属来说是改变生活的经历。本研究旨在调查 SCI 患者克服身体残疾所使用的身体策略。
在这项定性研究中，通过目的性抽样选择了 17 名 SCI 患者和 13 名家庭照顾者。研究地点为德黑兰大学医学科学的大脑和 SCI 研究（BASIR）中心以及伊朗德黑兰南部社会福利中心和德黑兰 SCI 协会。通过面对面的半结构化访谈收集数据，访谈持续到数据饱和。收集到的数据通过内容分析方法进行同步分析。
数据分析揭示了一个主要主题（克服身体残疾）和三个子主题：1）通过各种方法进行身体康复；2）倾向于使用替代医疗方法；3）努力实现自力更生。
参与者使用物理治疗和职业治疗作为医疗团队提供的有效且必要的方法。一些在家人帮助下的 SCI 患者为帮助他们进行身体康复，发明了简单的康复设备。然而，大多数参与者根据朋友和亲戚的建议，向不同的补充医学专家寻求帮助，他们经常花费大量时间和金钱却收效甚微。因此，他们需要医疗团队的培训和支持以及社会支持，以实现身体独立和身体康复。建议进一步研究，以调查伊朗 SCI 患者实现身体赋权的障碍。
