Studying Stigma Within the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Field while Examining the Patient-Physical Therapist Relationship: An Argument for the Introduction of Industrial Design Practices

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on the patient-therapist relationship in the physical therapy and rehabilitative field. It also studies the concept of stigma that users of assistive and rehabilitative devices face intrinsically and extrinsically. Stigma users of these devices face while going through therapy often leads to device abandonment and regression in rehabilitation. The purpose of this study is to identify the most common types of stigma experienced by these users, to evaluate how patients and therapist interact, and what possible gaps in communication they may have, ultimately to explore the potential benefits of incorporating industrial design practices into the physical therapy and rehabilitative field, in an attempt to alleviate the identify pain points in regards to the aforementioned. A mixed-method qualitative/quantitative approach was taken through the use of survey, interviews, and observational study. Weekly, 2-3 hour site visits to SWAN Rehab in Phoenix, AZ were made to conduct said interviews and observation, while digital surveys were dispersed through multiple online channels. Key findings include that common stigmas experienced by device users are being labeled as “other” or being seen as “less than” by others, and that assistive and rehabilitative devices leave much to be desired. Lastly, the implementation of an industrial designer into the patient-therapist relationship is a route that needs to be explored further. Agile design is a facet of industrial design that may prove useful in this field, but require future research to substantiate. This future research may include applied projects involving a patient, therapist, and designer, where assistive and rehabilitative devices are customized specifically for the patient in question. An ethnographic study is also necessary to gain a deeper understanding of what physical therapy truly entails. Keywords: Stigma, Patient-Therapist Relationship, Industrial Design