Exploring the barriers to participation in daily life activities following traumatic brain injury : participant and caregiver’s perspective

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain a holistic comprehension of the barriers which individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience when engaging in daily occupations, following their discharge back home. Furthermore, this research study intended to critically analyse the impact of these barriers on the participants’ functional independence in daily life occupations. This study strived to bridge the gap in local literature, from an occupational therapy perspective. A qualitative study design was adopted to obtain an in-depth exploration of the encountered barriers experienced by TBI survivors when participating in daily occupations. The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (OTPF) served as this study’s conceptual framework. Purposeful sampling was the chosen method utilized to select both groups of participants (TBI survivors and their caregivers) based on an inclusion criterion. Subjects were recruited by an opt-in method. The participants were requested to participate in a self-designed semi-structured joint interview. Three interviews were carried out face-to- face and two were carried out online. Thematic analysis was then used to analyse the obtained data; 10 main themes and 1 underlying theme were identified. Findings of this study delineated that those individuals who sustain a moderate or severe TBI experience numerous repercussions and barriers when engaging in their activities of daily living (ADLs), leading to disablement in multiple facets of community integration. Such facets encompass independence in personal care, household activities, recreational activities, community mobility, parenting, employment and socialisation. Consequently, such barriers negatively impact their caregivers due to increased dependency and responsibilities. It was established that the involvement of Occupational Therapy (OT) in TBI survivors’ rehabilitation journey could assist these individuals in overcoming/coping with such barriers as well as providing the necessary support required by their caregivers.