Introduction: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Bangladesh encounter substantial barriers in exercising their occupational rights due to environmental inaccessibility, societal stigma, and limited assistive technology (AT) access. Occupational justice (OJ) emphasizes equitable opportunities for occupational engagement, yet the interplay between AT use and occupational rights in resource-limited settings remains underexplored.
Objective: This study aimed to identify the occupational rights exercised by individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) during community living through using AT .
Methods: A qualitative study, grounded in constructionist epistemology, employed photo-elicitation focus group discussions with 12 pairs of individuals with SCI and their primary caregivers. Data were analyzed using a combined inductive and deductive approach with a constant comparative method. The inductive phase identified emerging themes, while the deductive phase mapped findings onto the four established occupational rights (meaning, choice, balance, and participation) under the OJ framework.
Results: AT played a pivotal role in enabling participants to construct occupational identity (meaning), assert decision-making in daily occupations (choice), manage time and energy for occupational balance (balance), advocate for inclusion and participate in society (participation), and gain public recognition for their skills and contributions. Notably, visibility emerged as a novel occupational right, underscoring the need for societal recognition of individuals with SCI.
Significance to occupational therapy: This study highlights visibility as an essential occupational right, reinforcing the need for policies that enhance AT accessibility. The findings inform OT interventions, advocacy efforts, and policy reforms to promote inclusive occupational engagement for individuals with SCI.