Objective To investigate the social participation experience of patients with spinal cord injury during rehabilitation, and to provide evidence for their early social participation and improvement of rehabilitation strategies. Methods Nine patients with spinal cord injury from three rehabilitation centers in Henan Province from December 2020 to June 2021 were selected by purpose sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed by seven-part phenomenological analysis method. Results Three themes (cognition of social participation, loss of self-independence, coping with social participation) and six sub-themes were extracted from data analysis. Conclusion The social participation of patients with spinal cord injury is a complicated and tortuous process. Medical staff should formulate specific strategies according to the rehabilitation needs of patients in different periods to make psychological and physiological preparations for their final social participation.

Spinal Cord Injury, Social Participation, Qualitative Research