“The Other Thousand Hours”: A Spinal Cord Injury Self-Management Program Qualitative Analysis

OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, 2025 · DOI: 10.1177/15394492241260648 · Published: January 1, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury Patient Experience Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience secondary medical conditions because of their injuries that impact their health and quality of life. Self-management is a way to reduce these medical conditions, but prior self-management programs have not been well-liked or successful for people with SCI. We found that people with SCI likely need more self-management and mental health support after going home from the hospital through community and accountability.

Study Duration

6 weeks

Participants

22 participants with spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Participants felt that the SCISM Program provided them with a sense of community that may be lacking in their physical environment or via social media.
2
Participants felt working together with peers established a greater sense of accountability for them to address their goals.
3
Participants reported an increase in awareness related to SM needs while participating in the program.

Research Summary

This study sought to understand the experiences of participants who completed the SCISM program through qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews after program completion. Participant’s responses generated four primary themes: A Sense of Community, Being Held Accountable, I’m Still Learning, and Being Proactive Instead of Reactive. OT practitioners should continue to address SM during the chronic stages of injury when those with SCI are ready to understand and apply the information.

Practical Implications

Utilize group interventions

Employ group interventions for individuals with SCI to foster a sense of community and shared experience.

Incorporate peer support

Integrate peer participation, brainstorming, and group discussions into treatment plans to enhance social participation and relationship building.

Ensure accessibility

Guarantee easy access to education and programs, irrespective of physical ability, to minimize participation barriers and promote inclusivity.

Study Limitations

1
Those with more openness to telehealth interventions were recruited at a higher rate since recruitment methods included social media and word-of-mouth sampling.
2
Persons with SCI who are employed may have been disproportionately unable to participate due to the available program times since all groups overlapped working hours in at least one time zone.
3
Participants noted limitations including feeling uncomfortable discussing sex/sexuality, lack of in-person meetups, and wanting more/longer intervention sessions to address topics further.

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