Critical review of informative publications for people with spinal cord injury

(Considerations and realisations for the inclusion of people with physical disabilities and their environment)

Abstract

Background and objectives: As a somatopedagogist (educator and therapist of special needs in the field of movement disability) in the health care system the main aim is to include people with spinal cord injury in the rehabilitation process with an FNO approach (The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health). This can be complicated by the challenges of the physical-psycho-social processes after trauma and by changing environmental attitudes. These can be counteracted, among other things, by the timely and targeted provision of information. The right information can provide motivation, a sense of competence and an improved quality of life. Our main objective is to present client education opportunities for people with traumatic spinal cord injury.

Method: In our work, we analyse the educational opportunities for people with spinal cord injury in paper-based and online formats. Among the paper-based publications, we present booklets targeting specifically people with spinal cord injury: publication published in Hungarian in recent years providing general information, details on wheelchair use, sexuality, occupational therapy and home lifestyle options, and books from major publishers on general topics of movement disability. The online platform presents a good practice from abroad, targeting people with spinal cord injury.

Results: The strengths of the targeted paper-based booklets are that their language and topics are appropriate for both recent and later traumatic phases, their weaknesses are that they only marginally address psychological factors. The large publishers' volumes are not targeted people with traumatic spinal cord injury, so their disadvantage is that they are more difficult to adapt. However, they have the advantage of presenting a wide range of information in a consolidated way. The foreign online platform is a good example, both in terms of interface and content.

Keywords: information brochures, people with spinal cord injury, quality of life, rehabilitation