‘The moment I leave my home – there will be massive challenges’: experiences of living with a spinal cord injury in Botswana

Abstract

This study emphasised the importance of personal resources, family support, and improved accessibility to facilitate inclusion in the society. Informants requested legislation to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities to be respected, with the aim of moving towards an equal accessible society. Implications for Rehabilitation Reclaiming or restructuring one's identity after a SCI is crucial for the person's ability to move on and develop beneficial coping strategies. Support from family and friends, staff and peer support are crucial parts in that process. Spirituality, values, needs and coping strategies vary profoundly among persons sustaining disabling injuries. In striving to optimise care, rehabilitation staff needs to be attentive to the personal resources and preferences to be able to individualise care, encounter, and facilitate transition back to the community. Family members play a crucial part in rehabilitation. It is essential for the patients' well-being and care that they get explicit descriptions of the patient's abilities. Living in a well-adapted home will facilitate well-being, independence, and return to work. Rehabilitation staff needs to focus their efforts on making this successful prior to discharge from hospital.

Client Perspectives on Reclaiming Participation After a Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury in South Africa

“…They expressed concern that physical spaces were not accessible, negative attitudes were portrayed towards persons with disabilities, and that there were many system insufficiencies. Although most of these obstacles and challenges in this study were similar to what is found elsewhere in the world [133][134][135][136], we were able to describe the more nuanced experiences that greatly impacted on the participation of survivors.…”

Outcomes 2 years after traumatic spinal cord injury in Botswana: a follow-up study

“…3,5 Inaccessibility in the homes and the communities and devaluing attitudes in society also severely restrict involvement in society and return-to-work opportunities. 1,5,11 These circumstances can further be aggravated by totally inaccessible public transport systems, if available at all, increasing the risk of isolation and exclusion from society. 1,11 There is a scarcity of knowledge in low-and middle-income countries regarding the follow-up process and the relocation process back to the community after acute traumatic SCI (TSCI).…”

“…1,5,11 These circumstances can further be aggravated by totally inaccessible public transport systems, if available at all, increasing the risk of isolation and exclusion from society. 1,11 There is a scarcity of knowledge in low-and middle-income countries regarding the follow-up process and the relocation process back to the community after acute traumatic SCI (TSCI). Therefore, the aims of this study were to identify indicators leading to compliance with yearly controls (YCs) and to describe the clinical and functional outcomes 2 years after TSCI.…”

Operative Treatment of Traumatic Spinal Injuries in Tanzania: Surgical Management, Neurologic Outcomes, and Time to Surgery

“…TSI is a major health care burden that primarily affects young, active, males, leading to loss of manpower, decreased productivity, and death, all with economic implications. 6,28 We offer the following recommendations:…”

“…Despite improvements in TSI management, resource-constrained settings have not yet benefitted from this progress to the same extent as more developed countries. [6][7][8] Although neurosurgery has been developing in East Africa since the 1940s, it remains tertiary and expensive. 9 Both stabilization techniques and time to surgery for spinal trauma are largely unreported.…”