
pmid: 26809606
IntroductionPeople with a disability living in rural areas commonly experience difficulty in accessing therapy services. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) may have the potential to provide occupational therapy services remotely through two‐way visual interactions. The aim of this qualitative study was to understand the perspectives of carers of a person with a disability living in rural New South Wales (NSW) on the use of ICT for occupational therapy service delivery.MethodsIndividual semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted with 11 carers of persons with a disability living in rural NSW. Participants were asked about their use of technology, therapy experiences and their attitudes towards using ICT to receive occupational therapy for their son/daughter. Data were analysed via constant comparison and thematic analysis.ResultsParticipants were willing to use ICT to enhance their current access to therapy based on their in‐depth knowledge of their son or daughter and their prior experiences with therapy and technology. For ICT to work for occupational therapy, participants identified the need for support and access prior to, during and between ICT sessions.ConclusionFrom the carers’ perspectives, ICT has the potential to increase access to occupational therapy services for people with a disability who live in rural NSW. Occupational therapists could benefit from eliciting the experiences, knowledge and willingness of rural carers to deliver therapy via ICT, thereby supplementing and enhancing in‐person service delivery.
Adult, Male, Rural Population, Persons with Disabilities, Children with Disabilities, Adolescent, Middle Aged, Health Services Accessibility, Interviews as Topic, Young Adult, Caregivers, Occupational Therapy, Humans, Female, Rural Health Services, New South Wales, Child, Qualitative Research, Aged, Telerehabilitation
Adult, Male, Rural Population, Persons with Disabilities, Children with Disabilities, Adolescent, Middle Aged, Health Services Accessibility, Interviews as Topic, Young Adult, Caregivers, Occupational Therapy, Humans, Female, Rural Health Services, New South Wales, Child, Qualitative Research, Aged, Telerehabilitation
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 26 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
