The Experience of Unemployment in Spinal Cord Injury (Version no. 1.1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the Personal Experience of Transitioning from Employment to Unemployment following Spinal Cord Injury: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
IRAS ID
178895
Contact name
Wafa Turkistani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Birkbeck, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Spinal cord Injury (SCI)can be a devastating life event that could affect many aspects of the person's life, including employment. To many individuals, including people with SCI, work is a symbol of self-identity and not merely a source of income.
To date, research has focused mainly on factors determining work re-entry after SCI. Despite the existence of studies looking at the personal experience of return to work (RTW) in the SCI population, it is still a research area that receives little attention as there is a limited number of studies done from this perspective.
In order to fill this gap in the literature, it is important to understand the meaning of unemployment to SCI individuals. This study aims at exploring what it mean to leave work from the perspective of 12 SCI males (aged 20 to 55) who are currently living in the community and unemployed.
This study has a qualitative design. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) will be used as the method of analysis and semi-structured interviews will be carried out to collect the data. Each participant will be interviewed individually, for a duration of 60 to 90 minutes, to answer open questions. Interviews are likely to take place at participant's homes, but where necessary, they will take place at a private room made available at Birkbeck, University of London.
The aim of this study is to have log-term benefits to the SCI population in terms of tailoring rehabilitation programmes according to the needs and expectations of SCI individuals.
Birkbeck, University of London, where the chief investigator (CI) is a PhD student, will sponsor this study. Participants will be identified through their medical records as former patients at The National Spinal Injuries Centre within Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0852
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion