INTERnational Project for the Evaluation of “activE Rehabilitation” (inter-PEER) – a protocol for a prospective cohort study of community peer-based training programmes for people with spinal cord injury

Active Rehabilitation (AR) is a community peer-based concept designed for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). It primarily involves brief residential training programs. The inter-PEER project aims to scientifically evaluate the effects of AR training programs on community-dwelling individuals with SCI, addressing the current lack of robust scientific evidence. The study uses a prospective cohort design, assessing participants at the start and end of the training program, and again three months later, using web-based surveys and practical wheelchair skills tests.

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  The inter-PEER project is the first systematic evaluation of AR training programs' effects on individuals with SCI.
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  The study uses standardized outcome measures relevant to the AR context to facilitate quality evaluations of community peer-based programs.
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  The project aims to stimulate international collaborations and inform the design of randomized controlled trials on AR training programs' effects.