Therapeutic path of Brazilians with spinal cord injury until rehabilitation

Scientific Reports, 2025 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87022-7 · Published: January 15, 2025

Spinal Cord Injury Healthcare Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study examines the journey Brazilians with spinal cord injuries take to receive rehabilitation. It looks at how factors like education and income affect access to these services and how long it takes for individuals to begin rehabilitation after their injury. The research found that many people with SCI face significant delays in accessing rehabilitation, and a notable percentage don't receive any rehabilitation at all. Those with higher education and income levels tend to start rehabilitation sooner. The study highlights the need for better healthcare referral systems, increased availability of rehabilitation centers, and outreach programs to ensure more equitable access to rehabilitation services for all individuals with spinal cord injuries in Brazil.

Study Duration

February to August 2018

Participants

618 Brazilian adults with spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Cross-sectional quantitative study

Key Findings

1
The mean time to start rehabilitation after SCI was 17.68 months, with a significant percentage of participants not undergoing any rehabilitation.
2
Participants with higher education levels were 4.3 times more likely to undergo rehabilitation than those with lower education levels.
3
There is an association between income and whether or not individuals underwent rehabilitation after SCI, indicating socioeconomic disparities in access to care.

Research Summary

This quantitative, exploratory, analytical, and cross-sectional study evaluated the therapeutic path of 618 Brazilian adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). The study found that a significant proportion of participants had not undergone any rehabilitation, and the mean time to start rehabilitation after SCI was considerable. The results indicated that higher education and income levels were associated with greater access to rehabilitation programs and earlier initiation of these programs. Conversely, those with fewer resources had fewer opportunities for rehabilitation. The study emphasizes the need for optimized referral systems, outreach programs, and a greater supply of rehabilitation centers to improve access to rehabilitation for people with SCI, addressing socioeconomic disparities in healthcare access.

Practical Implications

Improve Healthcare Referral Systems

Optimization of referral systems in the health care network to ensure timely access to rehabilitation services for individuals with SCI.

Expand Rehabilitation Services

Increase the provision of rehabilitation centers and outreach programs to bridge socioeconomic gaps and enhance access to rehabilitation for people with SCI.

Address Socioeconomic Disparities

Implement policies and programs to mitigate the impact of income and education on access to rehabilitation, ensuring equitable healthcare access for all individuals with SCI.

Study Limitations

1
Online data collection, which excludes people with SCI without internet access.
2
The study was carried out by only volunteers registered on the surveymonkey platform, limiting the general panorama of people with spinal cord injuries in Brazil.
3
The researchers did not have access to the electronic medical records, limiting access to some important variables for analysis.

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