Handcraft Activities during Rehabilitation Program: Perception of Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Handcrafts have been traditionally used from the beginning of occupational therapy profession. As a part of rehabilitation programs, occupational therapists provide handcraft activities for persons with spinal cord injury to help them in passing leisure time meaningfully, improve self confidence, reduce tension and engage in joyous activity. The aim of this study was intended to know the perception of persons with spinal cord injury about handcraft activities during the rehabilitation program. A qualitative study was conducted using face to face interview with a semi-structured question. Seven participants were selected by using purposive sampling from spinal cord injury inpatient unit of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed. Data was analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The investigator found that most of the participants have good understanding on handcraft activities. The majority of the participants enjoy handcraft activities and they believe handcraft activities is important for them. Most of the participants perform handcraft activities well. The majority of the participants report they will perform these handcraft activities after returning home. None of the participants faced any challenge during participation in handcraft activities. Most of the participants had no suggestion about these handcraft activities though one suggested that handcraft activities should be practiced more widely and apply for all groups of patients. As the person with spinal cord injury gives value to the handcraft activities, it helps to achieve the purpose of the rehabilitation program. Therefore, handcrafts should be practiced in a more structured way.