Physical health among the Finnish spinal cord injury population according to the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS®)

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2022 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2021.1989184 · Published: January 1, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Patient Experience Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study examines the physical health of people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Finland using a standardized questionnaire called PROMIS. The study compares the physical health scores of Finnish people with SCI to those of the general population in the United States. It also looks at how pain, sleep problems, and fatigue are related to physical function in people with SCI.

Study Duration

Conducted from February until the end of December 2019

Participants

884 persons with SCI

Evidence Level

Cross-sectional study

Key Findings

1
Older age and higher lesion level indicated more severe physical function impairments.
2
Finnish SCI population had 1.3 SD lower physical function and 0.9 SD higher pain interference T-scores compared to the US general population.
3
The most significant association was observed between pain interference and physical function.

Research Summary

The present study provides a description of the state of physical health in the Finnish spinal cord injury population, as well as the associations between the physical health areas. Persons with older age and higher lesion levels indicated more severe physical function impairments. The results highlight the substantiality of pain management in terms of improving physical function.

Practical Implications

Pain Management

Effective pain management strategies are crucial for improving physical function in individuals with SCI.

Targeted Interventions

Tailored interventions are needed to address the specific physical health challenges faced by older adults with SCI and those with higher lesion levels.

Cross-Cultural Considerations

Future research should collect country-specific reference scores to minimize bias and improve applicability to different populations.

Study Limitations

1
The proportion of female and older participants were bigger in our sample compared to non-responders.
2
No Finnish reference values were available for the PROMIS measures, so US population references were used instead.
3
Evaluation of the reliability and validity of the AIS classification is difficult due to classification of patients have been done by several rehabilitation professionals between 2000 and 2018.

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