Polio Survivors’ Experiences of Corrective Surgery and Rehabilitation in 1950s–1960s Finland

This study aimed to explore polio survivors' childhood experiences of corrective surgery and rehabilitation in post-war Finland during the 1950s and 1960s. Oral history research was used with a descriptive qualitative approach. Between September 29, 2018 and June 30, 2019, 40 participants were interviewed, while one wrote about their experiences (N = 41). The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which produced the overarching theme 'The Ongoing Process of Recovery: Body, Mind, and Self, 'describing recovery as a holistic process shaped by bodily changes, emotional responses, and social experiences. Three related themes further elaborated children's treatment trajectories: 'Surgical Treatments as Healing and Traumatizing Experiences,' 'The Multidimensional Nature of Rehabilitation,' and 'The Child's Emotional Coping and Agency in the Hospital Environment.' The findings emphasize that corrective surgery and rehabilitation were not experienced solely as clinical interventions but as life-shaping events influencing children's sense of safety, control, and self. This study highlights the need to consider the long-term psychosocial impact of childhood hospitalization and supports child-centered, family-centered, and trauma-informed approaches in pediatric care.