What Will the Post-pandemic World Be Like? A Qualitative Study on the Perceptions of Brazilians with Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Background: Given the worldwide pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, this study sought to understand how people with spinal cord injury (SCI) perceive the post-pandemic context. Objectives: We aimed to understand the perceptions of people with SCI in Brazil regarding the world in the post-pandemic context. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted on SCI Brazilians using a form published on SurveyMonkey® with questions regarding their perspectives on the post-pandemic world. The responses were analyzed considering Bardin, Axel Honneth, and Ernst Bloch. Results: The results demonstrated that the lives of SCI people in Brazil did not change during the pandemic, as they were already isolated due to the lack of accessibility. Conclusions: Imagining future scenarios following the pandemic is highly complex; however, the present can be understood as a moment to reflect on how humanity has developed thus far, especially concerning impaired accessibility and the pervasive lack of empathy and solidarity.

Use of the Virtual Environment as a Strategy for Disseminating Information during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The large volume of information being posted on a specific subject, including fake news, was termed an “infodemic” (Pennycook et al, 2020), that resulted in the sharing of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and ineffective and dangerous treatments. A virtual environment that provides accessible, high-quality health information was identified as a strategy to combat fake news and to empower its readers, especially people with disabilities (Faleiros et al, 2021, Pennycook et al, 2020).…”

“…Nevertheless, the wide range of health-related information disseminated via various social networks and the ease of access via the internet can lead to the spread of false information (fake news) (Nazareth, 2018). In early 2020, the increase in the number of cases of SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) led to social isolation and intensive searching for accurate health information based on scientific evidence, to understand and combat the virus (Faleiros et al, 2021). The large volume of information being posted on a specific subject, including fake news, was termed an “infodemic” (Pennycook et al, 2020), that resulted in the sharing of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and ineffective and dangerous treatments.…”