Qualitative Examination of Voting Empowerment and Participation Among People Living With Traumatic Brain Injury

TY - JOUR

T1 - Qualitative Examination of Voting Empowerment and Participation Among People Living With Traumatic Brain Injury

AU - Hammond, Flora M.

AU - Davis, Christine S.

AU - Hirsch, Mark A.

AU - Snow, Julia M.

AU - Kropf, Martha E.

AU - Schur, Lisa

AU - Kruse, Douglas

AU - Ball, Andrew M.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine

PY - 2021/6

Y1 - 2021/6

N2 - Objective: To examine political participation after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Qualitative, participatory research via interviews and observations. Each participant was interviewed to discuss their experience of voting in 2007 or 2008. Data were coded using Grounded Theory to develop themes, metacodes, and theories. Setting: Community. Participants: A total of 57 individuals with history of TBI and 28 family members (N=85). Main Outcome Measures: Not applicable. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: (1) people with TBI have barriers to voting; (2) the voting process can be improved for people with TBI; (3) voting is the responsibility of members of society; and (4) voting is one way we have a voice in society. Conclusions: The data support the importance of voting as an American right regardless of the presence of disability. While persons with TBI report voting represents their freedom and voice, there may be barriers that can threaten or limit their voice.

AB - Objective: To examine political participation after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Qualitative, participatory research via interviews and observations. Each participant was interviewed to discuss their experience of voting in 2007 or 2008. Data were coded using Grounded Theory to develop themes, metacodes, and theories. Setting: Community. Participants: A total of 57 individuals with history of TBI and 28 family members (N=85). Main Outcome Measures: Not applicable. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: (1) people with TBI have barriers to voting; (2) the voting process can be improved for people with TBI; (3) voting is the responsibility of members of society; and (4) voting is one way we have a voice in society. Conclusions: The data support the importance of voting as an American right regardless of the presence of disability. While persons with TBI report voting represents their freedom and voice, there may be barriers that can threaten or limit their voice.

KW - Brain injuries

KW - Community participation

KW - Politics

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Rehabilitation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101016862&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85101016862&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.12.016

DO - 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.12.016

M3 - Article

C2 - 33493439

SN - 0003-9993

VL - 102

SP - 1091

EP - 1101

JO - Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation

JF - Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation

IS - 6

ER -