Parental experiences on the role of wheelchairs in the lives of their children with mobility impairments : a qualitative exploration in Dubai

CITATION: Liebenberg, A.; Geiger, M. & Visagie, S. 2022. Parental experiences on the role of wheelchairs in the lives of their children with mobility impairments: a qualitative exploration in Dubai. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 17(3):310-317, doi:10.1080/17483107.2020.1782488The original publication is available at https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/iidt20Purpose: To explore parental experiences on the role of wheelchairs in the lives of their children with mobility impairments in Dubai. Methods: Seven participants were recruited through purposive sampling and their experiences were explored by conducting semi-structured interviews. The audio recordings were transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: The findings showed that wheelchairs were an essential part of the children`s lives, which enabled their participation in the home, the school and the community. Procurement processes were difficult owing to a lack of assessment and prescription processes as well as insurance companies providing little assistance with payment. The participants described Dubai as a wheelchair friendly city and two overarching themes emerged; firstly, The wheelchair: “It is her life”, and, secondly, Participation: Isolation versus inclusion. Conclusion: The study is the first of its kind in Dubai and indicated that the wheelchair played an important role in the children’s lives and allowed participation in life roles that brought joy and fulfilment. Without wheelchairs, children would be isolated and frustrated. However, some of the participants were not satisfied with their child’s current wheelchair and felt the chair was not appropriate. Recommendations to specific stakeholders included: the development of policies to guide wheelchair service provision by government. In addition, insurance providers could collaborate with the government to adhere to the policy to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: The wheelchair provided children the mobility to participate in life roles instead of being isolated. Not all children had appropriate wheelchairs. Service providers and medical insurance did not give sufficient support during wheelchair selection and procurement.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17483107.2020.1782488Publishers versio

Parental experiences on the role of wheelchairs in the lives of children with mobility impairments : a qualitative exploration in Dubai

Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.ENGLISH SUMMARY : Purpose: To explore parental experiences on the role of wheelchairs in the lives of children with mobility impairments in Dubai. Methods: Seven participants were recruited through purposive sampling and their experiences were explored by conducting semi-structured interviews. The audio recordings were transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: The findings showed that wheelchairs were an essential part of the children`s lives, which enabled their participation in the home, the school and the community. Procurement processes were difficult owing to a lack of assessment and prescription as well as insurance companies providing little assistance with payment. Participants described Dubai as a wheelchair friendly city, and two overarching themes emerged, firstly, Wheelchair: “It is her life”, and, secondly, Participation: Isolation versus inclusion Conclusion: The study is the first of its kind in Dubai and revealed that the wheelchair played an important role in the child’s life and allowed participation in life roles that brought joy and fulfilment. Without wheelchairs, children would be isolated and frustrated. However, some of the participants were not satisfied with their child’s current wheelchair and felt the chair was not appropriate. It is recommended that the Government of the Dubai develop policies to guide wheelchair service provision in the country. In addition, insurance providers should collaborate with the government to adhere to the policy to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Doel: Om die ouers se ervarings van ‘n rolstoel in die alledaagse lewens van hul kinders met mobiliteits beperkings te ondersoek, in Dubai. Metodes: Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer met sewe deelnemers wat doelbewus geselekteer was. Temas en sub-temas is ge-identifiseer tydens tematiese analise. Resultate: Die rolstoel het ‘n noodsaaklike rol in die lewe van die kinders gespeel. Dit het deelname in die huis, skool en gemeenskap moontlik gemaak. Die verkrygingsproses was moeilik as gevolg van onvoldoende evaluering en voorskrifte. Voorts het mediese versekeringsmaatskappye min of geen finasiele ondersteuning gebied. Deelnemers het Dubai as ‘n rolstoel vriendelike stad beskryf. Twee tema’s het na vore gekom: 1) Die rolstoel; “Dit is haar lewe” 2) Deelname; Isolasie teenoor insluiting. Ten slotte: Die studie is die eerste van sy soort in Dubai en het getoon dat die rolstoel ‘n belangrike rol speel in die kind se lewe. Dit het kinders toegelaat om deel te neem en het hulle gehelp om vreugde en bevrediging te ervaar. Sonder die rolstoel was hulle gefrustreerd en uitgesluit. Deelnemers was nie tevrede met die huidige rolstoele van hul kinders nie en het gevoel dat die rolstoel nie toepaslik was vir hul behoeftes nie. Dit word aanbeveel dat die Dubai regering beleid ontwikkel wat leiding kan bied rondom die voorsiening van rolstoele. Bykomend moet versekeringsmaatskappye, in samewerking met die regering, voldoen aan die voorgestelde beleid om ‘n gesonde lewenstyl en welstand vir rolstoel gebruikers te bevorder.Master