The Quality of Life in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: Assessment and Rehabilitation

This review investigates the quality of life (QoL) in patients with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and how it's assessed. It explores the instruments used to measure QoL and their influence on rehabilitation outcomes for these patients. The review identifies various psychological and physical aspects that can significantly impact the QoL of SCI patients, either positively or negatively. However, it notes that the measurement of QoL is limited by the lack of a universal definition and the prevalence of quantitative over qualitative tools. The review emphasizes the importance of using high-quality standardized outcome measures in SCI rehabilitation. These measures can help clinicians and psychologists detect and compare potential differences and outcomes of interventions related to HRQoL, considering the patient's personality and functional status.

• 1
  QoL in SCI patients is influenced by factors such as spirituality and depression, with spirituality being a significant determinant of QoL.
• 2
  DMSE (Disability-Management Self-Efficacy) is a psychological resource associated with higher engagement and life satisfaction after SCI.
• 3
  The SCI-QoL-BDS is a valid measure for assessing the QoL of people undergoing inpatient rehabilitation for their first SCI/disability.