Identifying and classifying quality of life tools for neurogenic bladder function after spinal cord injury: A systematic review

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2017 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2016.1226700 · Published: September 1, 2017

Spinal Cord Injury Urology Participation

Simple Explanation

This study systematically reviews tools used to measure how neurogenic bladder affects the quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries. The review identifies and classifies both objective (societal viewpoint) and subjective (patient perspective) measures according to a quality of life framework. The goal is to help researchers and clinicians select the most appropriate tools for assessing the impact of neurogenic bladder on quality of life in this population.

Study Duration

1950 to 2015

Participants

Adult sample (≥18 years of age) with at least 50% of participants with SCI

Evidence Level

Systematic Review

Key Findings

1
The review identified ten objective and fourteen subjective QoL measures used in SCI research related to neurogenic bladder.
2
The Medical Outcomes Short Form (SF-36/SF-12) was the most frequently used objective measure.
3
The Qualiveen and QLI-SCI were the only validated SCI-specific tools that showed sensitivity to neurogenic bladder.

Research Summary

This systematic review aimed to identify and classify outcome measures assessing the influence of neurogenic bladder on quality of life (QoL) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The review classified existing outcomes measures according to Dijkers’ framework, which includes QoL as ‘Achievements’, ‘Utility’, and ‘Subjective well-being’. The study concludes that while several tools exist, further validation of SCI-specific measures is needed to inform practice and policy related to bladder care post-SCI.

Practical Implications

Tool Selection Guidance

Provides researchers and clinicians with a classified list of tools to aid in selecting appropriate measures for assessing the impact of neurogenic bladder on QoL in SCI.

Identifies Gaps in Research

Highlights the need for further validation of existing subjective SCI-specific outcomes and objective measures of QoL.

Informs Policy and Practice

Validating objective measures of QoL can inform practice and policy related to resource allocation for bladder care post-SCI.

Study Limitations

1
Samples with <50% of individuals with SCI were excluded, which may inflict bias in the results.
2
The study did not consider how various bladder management approaches might affect individual study outcomes.
3
Interpretations and suggestions for outcome tool selection may be limited as they are based mainly on findings from cross-sectional designs.

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