Relationships Between Community Reintegration and Clinical and Psychosocial Attributes in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury in a Nigerian City

Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2018 · DOI: 10.1310/sci16-00055 · Published: May 3, 2018

Mental Health Neurorehabilitation Public Health

Simple Explanation

This study examines factors affecting community reintegration for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Nigeria. Community reintegration is crucial for well-being, but often challenging for those with SCI. The study looks at how clinical attributes like pain and functional ability, along with psychosocial factors such as self-esteem, social support, and depression, relate to community reintegration after SCI. The research found improvements in clinical and psychosocial attributes are linked to better community reintegration, highlighting the importance of addressing these areas in rehabilitation programs.

Study Duration

3 months

Participants

50 individuals with SCI (31 females; 19 males)

Evidence Level

Longitudinal survey

Key Findings

1
Clinical and psychosocial attributes improved significantly over the 3 months post-discharge.
2
Community reintegration significantly correlated with level of injury, function ability, self-esteem, and depression.
3
Functional ability was positively correlated with community reintegration.

Research Summary

This study investigated the relationship between community reintegration and selected clinical and psychosocial attributes of individuals with SCI in Nigeria. The study found that improvements in clinical status and psychosocial attributes were associated with better community reintegration. The research highlights the need for rehabilitation efforts to focus on enhancing both clinical and psychosocial well-being to facilitate community reintegration for individuals with SCI.

Practical Implications

Targeted Rehabilitation Programs

Rehabilitation programs should address clinical factors like pain and functional ability, as well as psychosocial factors such as self-esteem and depression, to improve community reintegration outcomes.

Social Support Enhancement

Healthcare providers and caregivers should focus on providing and maintaining social support for individuals with SCI to promote better community reintegration.

Accessibility Improvements

Efforts should be made to improve environmental accessibility and transportation options for individuals with SCI to reduce barriers to community participation.

Study Limitations

1
Short follow-up period of only 3 months may not reflect long-term reintegration.
2
Small sample size limited the ability to perform multivariate analysis.
3
Environmental accessibility and transportation factors were not assessed.

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