Utvikling av strategier for å håndtere kognitive vansker. En kvalitativ studie om erfaringer fem år etter traumatisk hjerneskade

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to gain knowledge about the process how persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) developing and applying strategies to cope with cognitive challenges, and how the specialist- and community health care services may support this process. Methods: The study had a qualitative design, applying semi-structured interviews with 7 individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI 5 years post-injury. The data were analyzed using a phenomenological meaning condensation. Results: The informants had applied coping strategies in various ways and to a quite different degree. They described how they learned about their changed bodily capacity by experiencing how they did mistakes that they would not have done before the injury. To get ready to apply strategies, the importance of support from health professionals to name the difficulties they experienced, share knowledge about their injury and discuss possible solutions, was highlighted. Implications: Developing strategies to cope after TBI takes time. It demands sharing information, a language to describe the problems and discussions with health professionals over a longer time span.