Associations between health behaviour, secondary health conditions and quality of life in people with spinal cord injury

Abstract

Background: The development of secondary health conditions (SHCs) after spinal cord injury (SCI) is common and can affect an individual’s emotional well-being, and his or her health-related quality of life (QOL). Little is known about relationships between performing health-benefiting behaviours and the presence (or absence) of SHCs and QOL, particularly in South Africa.Objectives: This research study was conducted in order to determine the associations between health behaviour, SHCs and QOL in people with SCI (PWSCI).Method: This cross-sectional study included 36 PWSCI discharged from a private rehabilitation facility in Pretoria, South Africa. The PWSCI completed questionnaires pertaining to lifestyle, independence, presence of SHCs, social support and QOL. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as correlation tests and chi-square test of independence (x2) using the SPSS v25. Moderate, moderately high and high correlations are reported (Pearson r ≥ 0.4). Results were significant if p 0.05.Results: Participation in health-benefiting behaviour was associated with increased QOL (r = 0.457, p 0.01) and increased social support from family and friends (r = 0.425, p 0.01), which was associated with increased QOL (r = 0.671, p 0.001). Not participating in specific neuromusculoskeletal health behaviours was found to be associated with the overall presence of SHCs (r = -0.426, p 0.01).Conclusions: Participating in health-benefiting behaviour can reduce the development of SHCs and subsequently increase QOL in PWSCI. Health professionals must focus on minimising the development of SHCs by providing specific education on good health-benefiting behaviour.

Secondary health conditions and their impact on the wellbeing of people with spinal cord injury, South Africa: Patients perspective.

“…Cape Town, had one or more secondary health conditions. Whilst Mashola and Mothabeng (28) reported a range of SHCs experienced by patients with SCI from a private rehabilitation hospital.…”

“…This study focused only on patients with traumatic SCI during acute hospital phase. On the same note, Mashola and Mothabeng, (28) reported the association between health behaviour, SHCs and quality of life (QOL) in people with SCI discharged from a private rehabilitation hospital. The top three SHCs that had a significant effect on activity and independence were chronic pain (47%), spasms (36%) and joint and muscle pain (22%).…”

Pain and its impact on functioning and disability in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury: a protocol for a mixed-methods study

“…1 2 Two-thirds of people with SCI (PWSCI) reported neuropathic pain in a South African study, with almost half reporting the neuropathic pain as a significant problem. 3 Neuropathic pain is caused by a primary lesion or a dysfunction in the nervous system, as seen in SCI 4 and the prevalence rates range as high as 63%-91%. 2 SCI-related neuropathic pain is an example of central neuropathic pain and is often characterised by spontaneous, persistent and constant pain that described as abnormal sensations such as burning, tingling and stabbing as well as pins and needles.…”

“…17 Perceptions of pain may be intense and reported as severe to extreme and interfering with activities of daily living, more so than the SCI itself. 2 PWSCI who report severe pain levels may refrain from fully engaging in their community due to the pain levels, 18 thus negatively impacting their perception of health 3 ; function during wheelchair skills; quality of life (QOL) and community participation 19 as well as affect their cognitive and emotional function. 20 The management of pain in PWSCI is complex due to the different underlying mechanisms of pain, 20 and the management may further be complicated by a variety of emotional, behavioural and social factors that can negatively affect the experience of pain.…”

‘I forget to do pressure relief’: Personal factors influencing the prevention of secondary health conditions in people with spinal cord injury, South Africa

“…The presence of SHCs in the life of people with SCI can increase levels of disability (Callaway et al 2015 ), decrease life expectancy (Oderud 2014 ) and increase hospital readmission rates (Mashola, Olorunju & Mothabeng 2019 ). Up to 80% of readmissions amongst people with SCI in one private rehabilitation hospital in South Africa were because of SHCs such as pressure sores and urinary tract infection (UTI) and patients were readmitted up to four times for these preventable SHCs (Mashola et al 2019 ). It is still not clear what causes patients with SCI to be re-hospitalised several times for the same SHCs.…”