Tracking activity-based therapy for people living with spinal cord injury or disease: insights gained through focus group interviews with key stakeholders

Abstract

Purpose

The development of a tool to track participation in activity-based therapy (ABT) for people with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) was identified as a priority of the Canadian ABT Community of Practice. The objective of this study was to understand multi-stakeholder perspectives on tracking ABT participation across the continuum of care.

Materials and methods

Forty-eight individuals from six stakeholder groups (persons living with SCI/D; hospital therapists; community trainers; administrators; researchers; and funders, advocates and policy experts) were recruited to participate in focus group interviews. Participants were asked open-ended questions concerning the importance of and parameters around tracking ABT. Transcripts were analyzed using conventional content analysis.

Results

Themes reflected the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of tracking ABT. Participants described the importance of involving hospital therapists, community trainers and individuals with SCI/D in tracking ABT to capture both subjective and objective parameters across the continuum of care and injury trajectory. Digital tracking tools were favoured, although paper-based versions were regarded as a necessity in some circumstances.

Conclusions

Findings highlighted the importance of tracking ABT participation for individuals with SCI/D. The information may guide the development of ABT practice guidelines and support the implementation of ABT in Canada.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Tracking the details of activity-based therapy (ABT) sessions and programs across the continuum of care and injury trajectory may provide important information to support the development of ABT practice guidelines and implementation strategies.

• Tracking objective and subjective parameters are needed to provide a comprehensive description of an ABT session and program.

• Clinicians and individuals with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) should both be able to track ABT to accommodate all settings and types of data.

• Digital tracking tools, such as an app, may provide an accessible, versatile and efficient way of tracking ABT.

Keywords:

• Activity-based therapy
• spinal cord injury
• qualitative research
• focus groups
• tracking tool

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participants for their time and involvement in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Catalyst Grant to KEM and AK, a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and a KITE-Toronto Rehab’s TD Graduate Scholarship for People with Disabilities to AK.