Enabling university teaching for Canadian academics with multiple sclerosis through problem-focused coping.

摘要

BACKGROUND: Research shows that sustained employment contributes to a higher quality of life for those with multiple sclerosis (MS). Occupational therapists can work to create therapeutic interventions that assist people with MS with maintaining employment. PURPOSE: To detail the problem-focused coping strategies that academics with MS employ to enable them to teach in universities. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 Canadian academics with MS. Thematic analysis was used to generate findings. FINDINGS: While there is flexibility in research and service work tasks, teaching tasks are the most seemingly inflexible. This necessitated the development of problem-focused coping strategies to enable teaching. Three categories of strategies were employed: (1) organizational; (2) before/after teaching; and (3) during teaching. IMPLICATIONS: This brief report is intended to serve as a resource for occupational therapists and others wanting to gain a better understanding of the types of therapeutic interventions useful to those teaching in universities.