Abstract
A key ingredient to successful health promotion is a primary care provider who can offer an informed first response to lifestyle issues, emerging problems and chronic challenges. This article aims to assist family physicians to play their role in promoting the health of people with SCI, by summarizing the latest evidence in the management of spinal cord injury in primary care. This study used a scoping review methodology to survey peer-reviewed journal articles and clinical guidelines published between January 2012 to June 2016. This search strategy identified 153 articles across 20 topics. A prevention framework is used to identify five primary, nine secondary, four tertiary, and two quaternary prevention issues about which family physicians require current information. Major changes in the management of SCI in primary care were noted for 8 of the 20 topics, specifically in the areas of pharmacological management of neuropathic pain and urinary tract infection; screening for bowel and bladder cancer; improvements in wound care; and clarification of dietary fibre recommendations. All of these changes are represented in the 3rd edition of Actionable Nuggets—an innovative tool to assist family physicians to be aware of the best practices in primary care for spinal cord injury.
Highlights
A key ingredient to successful health promotion is a good relationship with a primary care provider who can offer an informed first response to lifestyle issues, emerging problems, and chronic challenges
For more than 85,000 Canadians living in the community with a spinal cord injury (SCI) [1], family physicians are essential for promoting health and managing disability [2]
The purpose of this article is to assist family physicians to play their role in promoting the health of people with SCI, by summarizing the changes in the management of spinal cord injury in primary care that have arisen in the literature between the 2nd & 3rd editions (2013–2016)
Summary
A key ingredient to successful health promotion is a good relationship with a primary care provider who can offer an informed first response to lifestyle issues, emerging problems, and chronic challenges. For more than 85,000 Canadians living in the community with a spinal cord injury (SCI) [1], family physicians are essential for promoting health and managing disability [2]. As people with SCI live longer with potentially greater burdens of chronic disease, family physicians assist with screening for life-threatening illness, preventing secondary conditions, and promoting a healthy lifestyle [3]. People with SCI, often find that their family doctor does not fully appreciate the complexity of their situation, or the limitations their disability imposes on the options for health promotion and care [4]. The prevalence of spinal cord injury is low (often only one or two in a caseload), the complexity of care is high
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