Study examined the experiences of people with chronic motor incomplete tetraplegia using rehabilitation technology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants with chronic upper-extremity impairment due to spinal cord injury as they used five different rehabilitation technology devices for 30 to 45 minutes. The interviews were analyzed using a qualitative approach to explore the experience using and understand features that support motivation to use of rehabilitation technology. Qualitative analysis revealed three major themes: (1) devices must be flexible to meet diverse needs; (2) intervention protocols must be individualized to address unique needs and contexts of users; (3) intervention protocols should be developed and updated by a skilled clinician. These themes and subthemes were used to describe guiding principles to inform future intervention design. The findings from this study can be used to inform the development of technology-aided rehabilitation programs to improve upper-extremity function in people with chronic motor incomplete tetraplegia.
Author(s):
Bell, Alison|Grampurohit, Namrata|Kains, Gabrielle|Marino, Ralph J.|
