Experiences of people living with long-term neurological conditions and using telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland: explorative interviews

Abstract

Background Therapy interventions were disrupted by the first lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland. An instant change to telerehabilitation had to be implemented by physiotherapists.

Aim Exploration of experiences of individuals living with a long-term neurological condition receiving telerehabilitation physiotherapy interventions during the first lockdown.

Method Persons with a long-term neurological condition were recruited from the outpatient clinic of a local hospital in the German-speaking part of Switzerland during February and March 2021. Semi-structured individual interviews with a phenomenological perspective were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results 4 persons, 2 with multiple sclerosis and 2 with stroke (aged 44–75), were interviewed. There were 3 main themes, of which 2 had 3 subthemes: 1) Living with a neurological condition during a pandemic (daily life without and within a pandemic, symptoms, feelings and attitudes influenced by the pandemic); 2) Therapy experiences (therapeutic relationship, remote therapy, therapy experiences after the first lockdown); and 3) Family and social environment. Synchronous interventions such as live video sessions or live online groups were favored when compared to telephone calls or asynchronous digital interventions. However, for participants, it was equally important to explain how the pandemic influenced them in general.

Conclusion Individuals interviewed appreciated having received therapy during the lockdown, favoring synchronous interventions. However, there are still many unanswered questions about how best to support these populations, and evidence-based recommendations are needed.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund Der durch die COVID-19-Pandemie verursachte erste Lockdown führte zur Unterbrechung nicht dringend notwendiger Physiotherapiebehandlungen in der Schweiz. Ein unmittelbarer Wechsel zu Telerehabilitationsinterventionen durch Physiotherapeut*innen war notwendig.

Ziel Eine explorative Untersuchung von Therapie- und Lebenserfahrungen während des ersten Lockdowns bei Personen, die mit einer neurologischen Erkrankung leben.

Methode Menschen mit einer neurologischen Grunderkrankung wurden im Ambulatorium eines Regionalspitales in der deutschsprachigen Schweiz zwischen Februar und März 2021 rekrutiert. Es wurden semistrukturierte Interviews unter phänomenologischer Perspektive aufgezeichnet, transkribiert und mithilfe einer reflexiven thematischen Analyse ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse Es wurden 4 Personen, 2 mit Diagnose Multiple Sklerose und 2 mit Status nach Schlaganfall (Alter 44–75 Jahre), befragt. Bei der Datenanalyse wurden 3 Hauptthemen herausgearbeitet, davon 2 mit jeweils 3 Unterthemen: 1) Leben mit einer neurologischen Erkrankung während einer Pandemie (Alltag ohne und während der Pandemie, Symptome, Gefühle und Einstellungen, die durch die Pandemie beeinflusst wurden); 2) Therapieerfahrungen (therapeutische Beziehung, Teletherapie, Therapieerfahrungen nach erstem Lockdown) und 3) Familie und soziales Umfeld. Dabei wurden synchrone Interventionen wie Live-Videositzungen oder Live-Online-Gruppen im Vergleich zu Telefonanrufen oder aufgezeichneten digitalen Interventionen bevorzugt. Alle Teilnehmenden erlebten negative Folgen in Bezug auf Symptome und soziales Leben und erklärten, wie die Pandemie sie allgemein beeinflusste.

Schlussfolgerung Die Teilnehmenden schätzten es, während des Lockdowns eine Form von Therapie erhalten zu haben und bevorzugten dabei synchrone Interventionen. Es gibt noch viele unbeantwortete Fragen darüber, wie diese Bevölkerungsgruppe in solchen Situationen am besten unterstützt werden kann, dafür werden evidenzbasierte Empfehlungen benötigt.

Key words

neurological disorders - stroke - multiple sclerosis - telehealth - telerehabilitation - COVID-19

Schlüsselwörter

neurologische Erkrankungen - Schlaganfall - Multiple Sklerose - Telemedizin - Telerehabilitation - COVID-19

Publication History

Received: 08 February 2022

Accepted: 06 July 2022

Article published online:
16 November 2022

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