Abstract
Study design
Systematic review of qualitative studies.
Objective
To synthesise qualitative research exploring the experiences and perspectives of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), relatives and health professionals concerning goal setting in SCI rehabilitation.
Methods
Five electronic databases were searched. A search strategy was constructed with key concepts identified using PICo (Population, phenomena of Interest and Context). Peer reviewed studies complying with the inclusion criteria were selected. Interpretive Description methodology guided analysis and synthesis of the findings.
Results
The search yielded 427 records. Of 12 full text studies assessed for eligibility, four were included describing goal setting in SCI rehabilitation from the perspective of persons with SCI and health professionals. Persons with SCI described a need for goal setting to be related to their everyday life, whereas the health professionals tended to use the hospital setting as their point of reference. Persons with SCI emphasised the importance of being self-directed and taking an active role in goal setting and rehabilitation. No studies presented the perspective of relatives.
Conclusions
This review illuminates the divergence in the understanding of goal setting between persons with SCI and health professionals. Goal setting in SCI rehabilitation often directly reflects physical functioning goals set by the health professionals, which does not prepare persons with SCI for everyday life and emotional issues. There is lack of focus on goals addressing psychosocial components such as family issues and change of roles. A shared process with goal setting relevant to persons with SCI and their everyday life is needed.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank research librarian Camilla Meyer at Aarhus University Library for help, advice and guidance with the literature search. We would also like to thank senior researcher Anne-Mette Momsen for help with the initial searches and associate professor Merete Bjerrum for advice and input.
Funding
This work was supported by DEFACTUM, Central Denmark Region, Aarhus, Denmark and the Specialised Hospital for Polio and Accident Victims, Denmark.
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TM was responsible for designing the review protocol, screening potentially eligible studies, interpreting results, and writing the report. CMJ was responsible for designing the review protocol, registering the protocol, conducting the search, screening potentially eligible studies, extracting data, performing quality assessment of the included studies, interpreting results and provide feedback on the report. LSM was responsible for extracting data, performing quality assessment of the included studies, interpreting results and provide feedback on the report. CH was responsible for extracting data, performing quality assessment of the included studies, interpreting results and provide feedback on the report.
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Maribo, T., Jensen, C.M., Madsen, L.S. et al. Experiences with and perspectives on goal setting in spinal cord injury rehabilitation: a systematic review of qualitative studies. Spinal Cord 58, 949–958 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-020-0485-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-020-0485-8
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