Disability and Grief: Lived Experiences of Social Support in Polio Survivors in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

This study explores polio survivors’ experience in coping with grief of disability, focusing on the role of social support. In this phenomenological study, 20 participants were selected through purposive sampling from the eight divisions of Punjab Province of Pakistan. The process of data collection consisted of in-depth interviews. The obtained data were analyzed by utilizing thematic analysis technique. The results of the data yielded four major themes: 1) Coping Mechanism 2) Body image and social support 3) Life purpose and emotional fulfillment and 4) Social support in shaping social relationships. The findings indicate the multifaceted nature of social support among polio survivors. The findings contribute to understanding the importance of social support by empowering polio survivors with physical disabilities.