On February 16, 2012, our consumer advocate, Richard Aust, conducted a meeting of the consumer advisory panel (CAP) at MUSC. The CAP is comprised of a group of consumers that gives their views on our research and allows us to tailor research findings to the community. The main discussion for the meeting focused on unintentional injuries after SCI and strategies to get people into the workforce after SCI.
The group compiled a list of consequences of having an unintentional injury after SCI including missing work, school, and church activities, seclusion in their home, emotional depression, increased stress and financial strain, limited recreation and ability to drive, and loss of independence.
The participants discussed the effectiveness of creating a blog which focuses on secondary conditions after SCI. The group agreed that this blog could be useful if a group of 3-5 people with SCI and varied demographics acted as the facilitator. A medical professional should be available to address questions which are asked when people in the community respond to the blog topics. In addition, videos which address secondary conditions would be an excellent strategy to create interest and community involvement.
In discussing employment after SCI, several common themes surfaced for what is needed for a person to re-enter the work force. This included education, post-injury training, use of internet and social networking, knowledge of personal skill sets, and overall persistence.
Lastly, the participants expressed that volunteer work needs more attention in field of employment after SCI research since these opportunities are often the transitional stage of getting people back to work.
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