Anxiety prevalence following spinal cord injury: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Study design: Meta-analysis. Objectives: Prevalence estimates indicate that anxiety following spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common problem. However, methodological differences between studies may impact the clinical interpretation of these data. Methods: Data from 18 independent studies (N participants = 3158), which reported the prevalence of an anxiety disorder or associated symptoms, were identified from the Embase, PubMed and PsycInfo databases. Proportions were the primary effect size estimate. Confidence intervals, fail-safe Ns and the I 2 statistic were additionally calculated to identify the extent to which findings were robust and consistent across studies. Results: Five per cent of participants met the criteria for either GAD or panic disorder, with Agoraphobia identified in 2.5%. These diagnostic data were, however, limited to two studies. Higher rates were noted for self-reported 'caseness' of anxiety, with 27% reporting clinically significant symptoms. Anxiety prevalence estimates varied across the individual self-report measures (range: 15-32%). Method of administration (range: 26-32%) did not impact significantly on these estimates nor did recruitment source, with similarly high anxiety levels reported by hospital (27%) and community (29%) samples. Conclusions: Early identification and treatment of anxiety are important in SCI rehabilitation, with a subgroup of individuals experiencing chronic symptoms. Further research is needed to establish guidelines for the interpretation of self-report data, including the use of clinical cutoffs.

Psychological morbidities and positive psychological outcomes in people with traumatic spinal cord injury in Mainland China

“…Most new SCI patients have had to discharge from acute rehabilitation before they had the functional skills necessary to successfully return to the community [18]. The prevalence of anxiety in this study was 29%, which is consistent with the anxiety levels reported by hospitals (27%) and communities (29%) in a prior meta-analysis [7]. The proportion of depression in this study was 27%, which is consistent with the systematic review of Craig et al [5] but higher than the meta-analysis by Williams and Murray (varying from 19 to 26%) [6].…”

“…About 19-26% of the SCI population is diagnosed as suffering from depression [5,6]. The prevalence of anxiety, as estimated from the individual's self-reported responses, ranges from 15 to 32% [7]. The traumatic SCI population has a significant 1.29-fold increased risk of anxiety or depression compared to the group with other health conditions [8].…”

Associations Between Self-Efficacy and Secondary Health Conditions in People Living With Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…5 Psychological SHCs most commonly described in people living with SCI include depression, anxiety and poor quality of life. 6,7 Depression in people living with SCI has a prevalence of 22.2% (ranging from 7-48% in different studies). 6 This differs strongly from the prevalence in the general population of 3.2% and from the prevalence of depression in people with any chronic physical disease, ranging from 9.3 till 23%.…”

Mental health and life satisfaction of individuals with spinal cord injury and their partners 5 years after discharge from first inpatient rehabilitation

“…Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are confronted with challenges regarding their physical health [1,2], mental health and life satisfaction [3], and social functioning [4]. Systematic reviews have estimated a prevalence of depressive mood and anxiety problems in this group of 22% and 27%, respectively [5,6]. In general, life satisfaction is lower in individuals with tetraplegia compared to those with paraplegia, but no differences with respect to mental health were found [3].…”