Rehabilitation challenges for Aboriginal clients recovering from brain injury: a qualitative study engaging health care practitioners.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the experiences of health care practitioners working with Aboriginal clients recovering from acquired brain injury (ABI).


METHODS
Participatory research design using qualitative methods.


METHODS
Fourteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted. The Framework Method of analysis was used to uncover emerging themes.


RESULTS
Five main categories emerged: practitioners' experience with brain injury, practitioners' experience with Aboriginal clients, specialized needs of Aboriginal clients recovering from brain injury, culturally sensitive care and traditional healing methods. These categories were then further divided into emergent themes and sub-themes where applicable, with particular emphasis on the specialized needs of Aboriginal clients.


CONCLUSIONS
Each emergent theme highlighted key challenges experienced by Aboriginal peoples recovering from ABI. A key challenge was that protocols for rehabilitation and discharge planning are often lacking for clients living on reserves or in remote communities. Other challenges included lack of social support; difficulty of travel and socio-cultural factors associated with post-acute care; and concurrent disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that developing reasonable protocols for discharge planning of Aboriginal clients living on reserves and/or remote communities should be considered a priority.
Keightley
Michelle L
ML
Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. michelle.keightley@utoronto.ca
Ratnayake
Ruwan
R
Minore
Bruce
B
Katt
Mae
M
Cameron
Anita
A
White
Randy
R
Bellavance
Alice
A
Longboat-White
Claudine
C
Colantonio
Angela
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005260:Female; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055815:Young Adult