Study title

With the aim of finding out what it means to live with a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), 17 in-depth semi-structured interviews where conducted and transcribed verbatim with individuals with an SCI and 11 where conducted with partner caregivers of individuals with an SCI. Each interview was subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Phase 1 (interviews with SCI individuals) involved participants who had previously been admitted to the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit for Scotland (QENSIUS). Set criteria were that they must be between the ages of 18 and 75 years old and be at least 18 months post-injury. Patients with a complete/incomplete C5, C6, C7 where chosen to take part. Phase 1 interviews lasted approximately an hour and did not follow a rigid schedule to allow for richer data to be collected enhancing the IPA. Phase 2 participants were recruited through QENSIUS again and also Spinal Injury Scotland (SIS). 4 were partners of individuals participating in phase 1 but the other 7 were not. Interviews again lasted approximately an hour and also were flexible to gain richer data. Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most devastating traumatic types of neurological impairment which has profound effects on both the injured person and their family members. While extant literature has focussed on issues of loss, change in emotional experience and quality of life, it has tended to be both quantitative in nature and has been centred on the injured person's experiences alone. This research project involves conducting semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals with a SCI and 15 partner caregivers of people with a SCI. The aim of the research is to generate a rich insight into the worlds of people who live with this type of injury. This will be achieved by giving the participants the opportunity to prioritise key events and experiences which they believe are central to the experience of SCI and by allowing them to tell their own...