Quality of life after traumatic spinal cord injury in a developing context: the influence of contextual factors and injury characteristics

Abstract

Purpose

To identify contextual factors and injury characteristics influencing the quality of life (QoL) among individuals who sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in South Africa.

Materials and methods

We carried out a cross-sectional survey to examined the influence of contextual factors and injury characteristics on quality of life among 108 conveniently selected community-dwelling adults between the ages of 19 and 71 years old, who sustained a TSCI more than 1 year post-injury.

Results

Multivariate regression analysis resulted in three significant independent variables (gender, employment, and time living with the injury) that explained 38.1% of the variance in the model, of which being employed and living with a TSCI between 11 and 15 years were the strongest factors influencing the overall and each domain of quality of life.

Conclusion

Our results highlight that employment plays an important role in QoL for individuals who sustained a TSCI. They also suggest that increased time since the injury is most likely to provide individuals an opportunity to develop efficient coping strategies, allowing for greater overall adjustment and life satisfaction, leading to a better quality of life.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Since the time of the injury was found to be improved QoL, there is a need to improve the health care system of Individuals with SCI.

• As the employment is a significant factor positively influencing QoL, vocational rehabilitation programs should be included during the rehabilitation processes.

• Rehabilitation stakeholders need to continue lobbying for social and political changes that support expanded employment options for individuals who sustained a TSCI in order to improve their quality of life.

Keywords:

• Demographics
• injury characteristics
• spinal cord injury
• South Africa
• traumatic spinal cord injury
• quality of life

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Quad-para Association South Africa (QASA) Western Cape Province for helping in recruitment of the study participants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author’s contributions

Eugene Nizeyimana was involved in the conceptualization and design of the study, acquired the data, analysed and interpreted the data, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. He managed the overall project. Conran Joseph assisted with data analysis, revision of drafts and approved the final version of the manuscript. Joliana Phillips was responsible for fund procurement, assisted in conceptualization of the manuscript, provided input into statistical analysis, and revised the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Research Foundation South Africa (NRF).