Affiliations: University of the Western Cape, Belville, South
Africa | University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South
Africa
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Mogammad Shaheed Soeker, BSc OT
(UWC), M Sc OT (UWC), Incapacity Management Specialist, Department of
Occupational Therapy, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17,
Belville, 7535, South Africa. E-mail: ssoeker@yahoo.com
Abstract: This study aimed to elicit perceptions and experiences of
facilitators and barriers that affected individuals who received back
rehabilitation and their ability to resume their worker roles. Qualitative
research methods were used in order to explore the research question.
Participants were selected by means of simple random sampling and the data were
collected by means of semi-structured focus groups. Some factors that were seen
as facilitatory in maintaining the worker role of an individual who received
back rehabilitation included injury management strategies, a positive work
culture and having meaningful/satisfactory work experiences. Factors or
barriers that prevented individuals from resuming their worker roles included
physical and psychosocial stressors of the job, a lack of education by the
employer and inadequate workplace policy. The results indicated that
occupational therapists need to reassess their role within the wider context of
the helping professions where they should become more involved in on-the-job
evaluations, work placements and training of individuals who received back
rehabilitation.
