Abstract
Study designMulticenter observational study.ObjectiveTo describe the long-term outcome of functional independence and quality of life (QoL) for individuals with traumatic and ischemic SCI beyond the first year after injury.SettingA multicenter study in Germany.MethodsParticipants of the European multicenter study about spinal cord injury (EMSCI) of three German SCI centers were included and followed over time by the German spinal cord injury cohort study (GerSCI). Individuals’ most recent spinal cord independence measure (SCIM) scores assessed by a clinician were followed up by a self-report (SCIM-SR) and correlated to selected items of the WHO short survey of quality of life (WHO-QoL-BREF).ResultsData for 359 individuals were obtained. The average time passed the last clinical SCIM examination was 81.47 (SD 51.70) months. In total, 187 of the 359 received questionnaires contained a completely evaluable SCIM-SR. SCIM scores remained stable with the exception of reported management of bladder and bowel resulting in a slight decrease of SCIM-SR of −2.45 points (SD 16.81). SCIM-SR scores showed a significant correlation with the selected items of the WHO-QoL-BREF (p < 0.01) with moderate to strong influence.ConclusionSCIM score stability over time suggests a successful transfer of acquired independence skills obtained during primary rehabilitation into the community setting paralleled by positively related QoL measurements but bladder and bowel management may need special attention.
Highlights
IntroductionAchieving the highest level of functional independence is one of the main objectives of primary rehabilitation of individuals with SCI
Achieving the highest level of functional independence is one of the main objectives of primary rehabilitation of individuals with SCI.Former studies were able to show a favorable relationship between functional independence at discharge and multiple longtime outcomes such as rehospitalization rates, probability of living in a community setting, and employment status
There is a wealth of data analyzing the course of functional independence within the first year after the onset of SCI and the relationship with different aspects of quality of life (QoL) for individuals living with SCI
Summary
Achieving the highest level of functional independence is one of the main objectives of primary rehabilitation of individuals with SCI. Former studies were able to show a favorable relationship between functional independence at discharge and multiple longtime outcomes such as rehospitalization rates, probability of living in a community setting, and employment status. There is a wealth of data analyzing the course of functional independence within the first year after the onset of SCI and the relationship with different aspects of quality of life (QoL) for individuals living with SCI. Data following individuals’ independence and correlation with QoL over a long-time period are rare [1,2,3]. In 2013, with their initiative “International perspectives on spinal cord injury” the World Health Organization (WHO) invited to investigate the “lived experience of people with SCI across the life course and throughout the world” [4]. In response to the request of the WHO a cooperative effort of two major German scientific societies with a strong focus on rehabilitation of individuals with
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