Article

Previous work has shown that information technology (IT), such as
personal computers and other digital devices (e.g. tablets, laptops, etc.),
software, online resources and hand-held communication tools (e.g. cellphones),
has benefits for health and well-being for persons with chronic health
conditions. To date, the ways that persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) use IT
in their daily activities has not been fully explored. Thus, the purpose of the
study was to obtain an in-depth perspective of how people with SCI regularly use
IT to gain insight on ways IT can be used to support health and well-being in the
community for this population. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted
with community-dwelling persons with SCI (N = 10) who identified themselves as
frequent-or-daily-users of IT. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify
the ways that persons with SCI use personal IT. RESULTS: Ten themes related to IT
use were identified: (1) Modifications allowing access to IT; (2) Convenience of
IT and its perceived value; (3) IT as a scheduler/planner; (4) Challenges; (5)
Contributions of IT to participation; (6) Access to information; (7) Influence of
IT on well-being; (8) IT as a connector; (9) Issues of IT acquisition; and (10)
Desires for future devices/technology. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that IT
use by people with SCI contributes to general health and well-being, by
increasing access to SCI-related health information and opportunity for social
participation. Despite the benefits offered by IT, persons with SCI have
identified a degree of skepticism about the reliability and applicability of the
health information they find online. Future work on developing and implementing
IT for health and well-being post-SCI should take into account consumers'
perspectives to facilitate uptake. Implications for Rehabilitation There is a
need for a more refined understanding of how people with spinal cord injury (SCI)
use information technology (IT) in their daily lives in order to understand how
IT can support health and well-being post-injury in the community. IT use holds
implications for the physical and mental well-being of persons with SCI. IT
allows access to a variety of information, and facilitates participation in the
community. The enthusiasm for the use of IT is tempered by a degree of skepticism
about the reliability and applicability of the health information available
online. This highlights the need to raise awareness of existing sources vetted
for this population, and to develop content that meets the particular health
needs for SCI.

Langue : ANGLAIS