Psychosocial factors affecting resilience in Nepalese individuals with earthquake-related spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional study

BMC Psychiatry, 2018 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1640-z · Published: February 26, 2018

Simple Explanation

Earthquakes can lead to spinal cord injuries (SCI), which are complex and costly health problems. Individuals with SCI may experience physical and psychological challenges. However, some individuals with SCI demonstrate resilience, enabling them to adapt positively and achieve a better quality of life. This study aimed to identify factors affecting resilience among Nepalese individuals who sustained SCI as a result of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. Understanding these factors can help mental health professionals provide appropriate care and develop interventions to strengthen resilience in this population. The study found significant associations between resilience and factors such as social support, self-efficacy, depressive mood, sex, employment, and current living location. Self-efficacy and depressive mood were significant determinants of resilience after controlling for demographic variables.

Study Duration

December 2016 and February 2017

Participants

82 participants from the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center and communities in Nepal

Evidence Level

Cross-sectional study

Key Findings

1
There was a significant positive correlation between resilience and social support (r = 0.42, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (r = 0.53, p < 0.001).
2
A significant negative correlation was identified between resilience and depressive mood which indicates that the participants with higher depressive mood had lower resilience (r = −0.50, p < 0.001).
3
Being male significantly explained the variance in resilience (β = 0.31, p = 0.001), indicating it as the strongest factor of resilience in this study.

Research Summary

This study investigated the psychosocial and demographic factors influencing resilience among Nepalese individuals with earthquake-related spinal cord injury (SCI). The findings revealed significant associations between resilience and factors such as social support, self-efficacy, depressive mood, sex, employment, and current living location. Self-efficacy and depressive mood emerged as significant determinants of resilience. The study suggests that mental health professionals should consider these factors when providing care to this population and that interventions aimed at strengthening resilience may improve rehabilitation outcomes and community reintegration for individuals with SCI.

Practical Implications

Clinical Implications

Healthcare professionals, especially rehabilitation nurses and mental health professionals, can use these findings to plan appropriate interventions.

Intervention Development

Self-efficacy strengthening and prevention/treatment of depressive mood are beneficial to enhance resilience.

Targeted Care

Nurses should identify or screen for low resilient groups such as females, the unemployed, rural people, and people with low self-efficacy, low social support, and unstable or depressed mood to provide tailored interventions.

Study Limitations

1
The researcher read the questions and filled the questionnaires for illiterate participants which possibly developed some biases.
2
Since this cross-sectional study was conducted at two years after the earthquake, it could not identify the dynamic nature of resilience and other variables.
3
This study did not address the pre-injury mental health status or characteristics of the participants which could influence the post-injury mental health status or resilience of those individuals.

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