The COVID-19 Pandemic Related Lived Experiences of Individuals With a Spinal Cord Injury/Disease.
Ethan Simpson, William C Miller, Julia Schmidt and 2 others
PMID 36188890WHAT IT FOUND
People with spinal cord injury said pandemic rules made mobility, home care, social interaction and health care harder, while telehealth, physical activity and social connection helped them cope.
Key findings
01Twenty-two participants described changes to mobility and daily life under pandemic restrictions.
02Caregiver availability was a concern, but most participants appreciated telehealth appointments.
03Participants described reduced social interaction, anxiety and resilience through coping strategies.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study captured experiences only early in the pandemic, so it may not reflect later phases of restriction or recovery. No participant had tested positive for COVID-19, so the paper does not describe the experience of having spinal cord injury and catching the virus. The sample was 22 people recruited by convenience, not purposive sampling, so it may not represent all people with spinal cord injury. Participants needed technology and internet access to take part, which may exclude people with spinal cord injury who do not have those resources. The authors did not collect race, so possible differences related to racial background were not examined. The researchers were all Caucasian, four were male and one was female, and only one had lived experience of spinal cord injury, so their interpretations may reflect limited perspectives.
Declared interests
This work was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research New Investigator Award and a Canada Research Chair. The authors declared no commercial or financial conflicts.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these themes as proof that telehealth or pandemic restrictions improved care. They are self-reported experiences from 22 people early in the pandemic, recruited by convenience, with no tested intervention.