New doctor investigates healing after spinal cord injury
Associate Professor Sanne Angel from the Department of Public Health is a new Doctor of Medical Science. She has investigated the long-term healing process following spinal cord injury, in which the body, everyday life and self-understanding all change.
In her doctoral thesis, The healing process – seeking meaning after spinal cord injury, Sanne Angel investigated the healing process among people with spinal cord injury. The thesis is based on their experiences during the first 10 years after the injury.
A spinal cord injury can cause permanent or temporary paralysis and reduced sensation below the site of injury, which may affect mobility, bladder, bowel and sexual functions, among other things.
The research shows that healing is not only about regaining functional ability. It is also about finding a foothold in a life changed by the serious injury.
“When a person sustains a spinal cord injury, it becomes crucial to be able to imagine a life that is still worth living, even though health-related challenges disrupt the life they had before. Support from others plays a central role in this,” says Sanne Angel.
In her doctoral thesis, Sanne Angel develops a theory on seeking meaning, which is central to the healing process. According to her, the findings indicate that rehabilitation should make more room for the experiences of patients and relatives, as well as for questions about meaning and quality of life that may accompany serious illness or injury.
Contact
Associate Professor, PhD and Doctor of Medical Science Sanne Angel
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health
Tel.: +45 51 35 85 76
Email: [email protected]