Quality of life and its predictors in people with traumatic spinal cord injury in mainland China.

Abstract

Cross-sectional survey. To assess quality of life (QOL) and the predictors of QOL in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital, Mainland China. Three hundred adult participants with SCI completed standardized self-report measures. The study assessed QOL, demographic and injury variables, psychological factors and community participation. Psychological factors included resilience, post-traumatic growth, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. Descriptive analyses were used to calculate the QOL, psychological outcomes, and community participation scores. The relationship between all the factors was examined using Pearson correlation analysis. Regression analyses were performed to determine the independent predictors of QOL. The mean range of items for four domains of QOL was from 3.0 to 3.2. Resilience and post-traumatic growth showed significant positive relationships with each domain of QOL (range of r from 0.26 to 0.53, p < 0.01). Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression showed negative relationships with each domain of QOL (range of r from -0.67 to -0.27, p < 0.01). Community participation showed weak significant relationships with three domains of QOL. Participants' self-reported perception of environmental barriers and the five psychological outcomes were the most significant predictors of QOL. Community participation did not show any predictive effect. The QOL of people with SCI in Mainland China needs improvement. Many factors influence QOL, especially psychological outcome variables. Promoting mental health in individuals with SCI is critical to improving overall QOL.