An outline of the history of neurorehabilitation in Denmark: – a sociological perspective

This paper investigates how neurorehabilitation viewed as a field in a sociological understanding frames how trajectories are organized and processed. It contains a double approach containing of both a historical and a contemporary analysis based on an empirical study. The theoretical approach is primarily based on Bourdieu’s concept of Field.
The historical analysis show that neurorehabilitation in Denmark has a relatively short history, since the general perception only a few decades ago was that brain injuries were more or less permanent conditions. This changed around the 1970-1980’s through exposure to differing neuro-psychological and -pedagogical influences. Here after also other interests have altered the development of the field, especially the more medically oriented. The history enables us to examine how the field has evolved, the forms it continues to take and how it is organized in order to understand the agenda and logics that prevail.
The empirical study consists of observational studies of eight intersectoral meetings at a specialized hospital unit (Hammel Neurocentre) just before discharge. In this setting different agents/positions (hospital professionals, patients, relatives, municipalities etc.) meet to plan the future rehabilitation process. Preliminary findings show that a medical approach dominates the agenda including a strong focus on the functional capacity of the patients’ body. In contrary, the patient and relative perspective is rather subordinate or even absent and so is subjective perceptions of psychological and social life factors. The positioning (and performance) of both patients/relatives and municipalities vary and is reflected in the provision of services.