Telerehabilitation needs: a survey of persons with acquired brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To survey individuals with acquired brain injury to assess multiple facets of interest, access, and familiarity necessary to implement new telerehabilitation technologies.


METHODS
Anonymous mail survey.


METHODS
Community.


METHODS
Seventy-one respondents to a survey. These individuals had experienced acquired brain injury (predominantly severe traumatic brain injury [TBI]) and were living in the community. Surveys were mailed by a state chapter of the Brain Injury Association to a random selection of members with acquired brain injury.


METHODS
Survey designed specifically for this investigation.


RESULTS
The survey responses indicate that there is great interest in the possibility of accessing telerehabilitative services among individuals with acquired brain injury. In particular, there was strong interest expressed in services that could be used to assist with problems in memory, attention, problem-solving, and activities of daily living.


CONCLUSIONS
Telemedicine, and more specifically telerehabilitation, holds great promise as an adjunct to traditional clinical service delivery. Little research in this area has been applied, however, to individuals with acquired brain injuries. Although on the surface, telerehabilitation seems to be an appropriate assessment and treatment modality for individuals with brain injury, it will only succeed if those individuals have the interest-and the access-necessary to use new and evolving technologies.
Ricker
Joseph H
JH
Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, New Jersey, USA. jricker@kmrrec.org
Rosenthal
Mitchell
M
Garay
Edward
E
DeLuca
John
J
Germain
Anneliese
A
Abraham-Fuchs
Klaus
K
Schmidt
Kai-Uwe
KU
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010358:Patient Participation; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*