The Barriers Limiting the Social Integration of Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury in Turkish Society

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the major barriers limiting the social integration of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) after being discharged. Design: SCI patients were selected from the archival records of the Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital based on the time of injury. In the course of study 100 patients with SCI using wheelchair as their primary means of mobility were recruited. Materials and Methods: A barrier to social integration survey was administered to 100 individuals with SCI. Outcome Measurements: Telephonic interviews were conducted to record participants’ experiences and opinions about the limitations of their daily social participation. The following themes were questioned to determine which the major barriers were limiting the social integration of the patients: (1) health problems; (2) economic issues; (3) emotional and psychological barriers; (4) architectural and accessibility barriers; and (5) perceptions and attitudes of persons who are not disabled, including professionals. Results: Participants identified a range of both motivational and socioenvironmental factors that were limiting their integration. The architectural barriers were the most commonly cited factor limiting participation, followed by perceptions and attitudes of persons who are not disabled. Moreover, 17% of subjects reported health issues, especially pain, as one of the significant factors in hindering their social integration. Conclusions: The most important factor appears to be architectural barriers, which we feel is one of the greatest problems, especially in the developing countries.