Experience of Filipinos with Spinal Cord Injury in the Use of Assistive Technology: An Occupational Justice Perspective.
Daryl Patrick G Yao, Kaoru Inoue, Michael P Sy and 5 others
PMID 33304205WHAT IT FOUND
Filipinos with spinal cord injury found wheelchairs essential for work, travel, and advocacy, yet faced steep ramps, inaccessible transport, and stigma.
Social support and charity, often viewed negatively in Western models, were reported as necessary adjuncts to assistive technology use.
Key findings
01Assistive technology enabled participants to engage in occupations and community life, but environmental barriers like inaccessible transport and unsafe roads severely limited this benefit.
02Participants reported that social support and charitable assistance were necessary to acquire and maintain assistive devices, challenging the Western priority of total independence.
03Attitudinal barriers, including being perceived as beggars or being asked to leave premises, persisted despite the use of assistive technology and remained a major obstacle to inclusion.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (10 participants) and drawn from a specific geographic and socioeconomic context (mostly urban, lower socioeconomic status in Metro Manila), limiting transferability to other populations. Three participants were previously acquainted with the primary researcher, introducing a risk of social desirability bias. Participants were recruited through specific organizations, which may have led to a homogeneous group with similar ideologies regarding disability rights.
Declared interests
No specific conflicts of interest or funding sources are declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that providing a wheelchair alone resolves occupational participation barriers in this population. The study shows that environmental inaccessibility and attitudinal stigma persist despite device provision, and that reliance on social support is a necessary strategy for survival, not a failure of independence.