Self-management of pain and depression in adults with spinal cord injury: A scoping review

This scoping review examines existing research on how adults with spinal cord injuries (SCI) self-manage pain and depression using pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies. The review identifies gaps in knowledge and suggests future research directions to improve self-management strategies for this population. It highlights the need for interventions that address medical, emotional, and role management, utilize multidisciplinary approaches, and evaluate both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies.

• 1
  The majority of studies have focused on self-management of pain, with fewer focusing on depression or both.
• 2
  Few studies included all core self-management tasks and skills, as defined by Lorig and Holman.
• 3
  There is a concentration of studies focused on non-pharmacological therapies, instead of evaluating self-management through the use of pharmacological treatments and perhaps more importantly, using both.