Spinal Cord Injury in Portugal: Institutional and Personal Challenges

Abstract

This article is dedicated to an analysis of the life trajectories of individuals with spinal cord injuries in Portugal. From a perspective that aims to understand the challenges faced in the different stages following the initial injury, it aims to relate corporeal, personal, and social impacts to medical, institutional, and political responses. Based on a total of 93 interviews, the analysis focuses on the period that starts with the event that caused the injury and extends to the present day, following the entire rehabilitation and integration process and identifying key structures, services, and institutions. In offering a critical reading of processes and structures that are capable of ensuring quality of life and social inclusion for persons with spinal cord injuries, it broadens the discussion to reveal the social exclusion widely experienced by persons with disabilities in Portugal.