Clinician expectations for portable electronic devices as cognitive-behavioural orthoses in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain experiences and expectations of clinicians as to uses of portable electronic devices such as hand-held computers as cognitive-behavioural orthoses in TBI rehabilitation.


METHODS
Survey study.


METHODS
A survey developed and piloted with the input of clinician focus groups was completed by 81 TBI clinicians from a variety of disciplines and work settings.


RESULTS
About half of the respondents reported prior exposure to clients with TBI who had used portable electronic aids. Of 10 key cognitive/behavioural areas, respondents saw most potential for devices in the areas of learning/memory, planning/organization and initiation; less potential was seen for social/interpersonal or behavioural difficulties. However, many respondents also identified learning and memory abilities as essential client characteristics for successful use of portable electronics. Cost was identified as a significant barrier to use of portable devices in rehabilitation. Respondents expressed low confidence overall in their ability to guide clients in use of devices; those who reported personal use were significantly more confident than those who did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians believe that new electronic devices have potential for treatment of some cognitive impairments, but clinical experimentation may be limited by costs of technology and low clinician confidence.
Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA. thart@einstein.edu
Tessa
T
Hart
Therese
T
O'Neil-Pirozzi
Caron
C
Morita
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D034201:Computers, Handheld / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012649:Self Concept; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*