Personal experience guides acquired disability research

A University of Queensland researcher has been guided by personal experience in examining the psychological impact of acquired disabilities such as spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis.

Michele Furlong, a Masters of Clinical Psychology student, has experienced chronic illness and lived with a disability since the age of nine.

“I was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness that resulted in my immune system becoming overactive and attacking muscle tissue and spent the majority of three years in hospital during the initial acute phase of the illness,” she said.

“Although the condition burnt out after five years, I continue to have weakness in all muscles groups, but especially in my legs, which makes it impossible to stand or walk.”

To coincide with Disability Action Week (July 15-21), Ms Furlong has launched a survey of people who now use a wheelchair or scooter as their main form of mobility and hopes that many will volunteer to provide information through the completion of some brief survey forms.

She hopes the study will contribute to the limited knowledge and development of psychological services for those with an acquired injury or disabling medical condition.

“While physical and rehabilitation support are available for Queenslanders with an acquired disability, psychological services are lacking in comparison,” Ms Furlong said.

“Attention is generally aimed towards physical and vocational rehabilitation in order to get people out of hospital, living at home and back into the workforce.

“Further help is often given in helping with daily care, home modifications and equipments etc, which is all very important in re-establishing independence and life goals.

“But in the last decade there has been growing awareness of the psychological needs of people who are forced to adjust, often suddenly, to major changes in physical abilities, identity, relationships, employment or study, social activities and future plans.”

Ms Furlong said while she personally had a positive outlook, the hardest thing about being a wheelchair-using postgraduate student was the extra time and energy required for daily tasks, despite being at the same speed mentally as other students.

“It can be hard forcing yourself to slow down and not take too much on, but once you know your limits and keep within them, it is much easier to cope.” she said.

“It has taken me a couple of years longer than other students to finish my degree, but this is my final year and I feel that taking a bit longer has allowed me to appreciate life along the way without burning-out.”

People with an acquired disability wishing to complete a survey form, should contact Ms Furlong on 07 3365 5055 or email: researchproject_mf@ccs.uq.edu.au and leave a name and address.

Surveys will be sent out and returned anonymously in pre-paid envelopes.

Media: For more information, contact Michele Furlong (telephone 07 3871 0212, mobile 0404 047 661) or Brad Turner at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2659).