Functional independence in the Finnish spinal cord injury population

Majamäki, Kirsi; Tallqvist, Susanna; Vainionpää, Aki; Koskinen, Eerika; Kauppila, Anna Maija; Bergman, Paula; Anttila, Heidi; Hämäläinen, Heikki; Täckman, Anni; Kallinen, Mauri; Arokoski, Jari; Hiekkala, Sinikka

doi:10.1038/s41393-021-00700-x

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Table 1 presents detailed characteristics and differences between the NEFI-SF respondents ( n = 880) and non-respondents ( n = 892). Comparisons between the FinSCI respondents ( n = 884) and non-respondents ( n = 888) have been described in earlier publications [ 10 , 14 , 15 ]. No statistically significant differences existed between the NEFI-SF respondents and non-respondents in SCI etiology, time since injury, or SCI severity.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental barriers perceived by the Finnish population with spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional survey

Saarimäki,

Reiterä,

Täckman

et al. 2024

Spinal Cord

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Study design Cross-sectional survey of the Finnish population with spinal cord injury (SCI). Objectives To explore the frequencies of perceived environmental barriers (EB) that made participation harder for the Finnish population with SCI and to compare the occurrence of perceived EBs by gender, age, time since injury, and injury severity. Setting Participants were recruited from the registers of the three SCI outpatient clinics responsible for the lifelong care of people with SCI in Finland. Methods The self-administered Nottwil Environmental Factors Inventory Short Form (NEFI-SF) collected in the Finnish Spinal Cord Injury Study (FinSCI) (n = 1772) was used. Nonparametric tests and multinomial logistic regression models were utilized. Results 880 individuals responded to the NEFI-SF items (response rate 50%). Climate was perceived as a barrier by 72% and a serious one by 44% of the respondents. The rates regarding public access were 59% and 24%, private home access 46% and 18%, and long-distance transport 45% and 20%. Four out of ten respondents reported that finances, lack of assistive devices for short-distance transport, and political decisions restricted their participation. The NEFI-SF total scores were higher (meaning more perceived restrictions by EBs) for those more severely injured. Conclusions Climate, access to public and private places, challenges with transport, finances, and political decisions were the EBs most frequently perceived to restrict participation by the Finnish population with SCI. Most EBs that were prominent causes of restrictions are modifiable. Greater accessibility to the built environment, equal services to all, and positive special treatment could reduce their effects.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental barriers perceived by the Finnish population with spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional survey

Saarimäki,

Reiterä,

Täckman

et al. 2024

Spinal Cord

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“…Participants in the FinSCI study were grouped by SCI severity based on the recommendations of The International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI) [ 27 ], as well as in other publications [ 4 , 5 , 28 ]. The ISNCSCI is recommended to be used to determine the level and completeness of SCI by The American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) [ 27 ], which grades the degree of impairment into five categories from A to E, where E indicates normal sensation and muscle function [ 29 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Patients with AIS grades A, B and C are recommended to be categorized into three groups by the level of injury: C1-C4, C5-C8 (cervical spine), and T1-S5 (thoracic and lumbar spine) [ 27 ]. SCI severity affects functioning since the higher the lesion is in the spinal cord the less function remains [ 28 ]. Additionally, persons with SCI and multiple injuries or a high level of lesions and AIS grades A, B, or C, have an increased length of stay in rehabilitation compared to those with lower SCI grades [ 30 , 31 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitators and barriers in the rehabilitation process described by persons with spinal cord injury: a deductive-inductive analysis from the Finnish spinal cord injury study

Tallqvist,

Eskola,

Täckman

et al. 2023

Annals of Medicine

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Background This study aimed to determine the factors that promote and facilitate rehabilitation as well as challenges and possible barriers perceived by people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Materials and Methods This study was part of a larger, mixed-method Finnish Spinal Cord Injury (FinSCI) study. We interviewed 45 persons with SCI representing participants from the FinSCI study and used a qualitative approach and a deductive-inductive content analysis to analyse the data. Results We identified 28 facilitators and 19 barriers in the rehabilitation process. The majority of the facilitators and barriers were related to the rehabilitation planning phase. There were more barriers than facilitators in applying for and accessing treatment or rehabilitation and during the implementation of rehabilitation. Facilitators consisted of successful, realized, or planned treatments or rehabilitation events; clear goals; multidisciplinary teamwork; support and monitoring in various changing situations; and the rehabilitees’ own capabilities and activities, among other things. The barriers included delays, challenges and deficiencies in the planning and implementation of treatment or rehabilitation; the lack of different skills; and resources of rehabilitation professionals; and different personal factors, which made the rehabilitation process cumbersome. Conclusions Good communication and interaction between stakeholders are crucial for the progress of rehabilitation.

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“…The patients with AIS A, B and C are recommended to be categorized by the level of injury into three groups: C1-C4, C5-C8 (cervical spine), and T1-S5 (thoracic and lumbar spine) (25). The higher the lesion is in the spinal cord, the less functioning remain (27). Persons with SCI and multiple injuries, or a high level of lesion and AIS A, B, or C, have an increased length of stay in rehabilitation compared to persons with lower SCI (28) (29).…”

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitators and barriers in the rehabilitation process described by persons with spinal cord injury: a deductive-inductive analysis from Finnish Spinal Cord Injury Study

Tallqvist

Eskola

Täckman³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Background A spinal cord injury (SCI) has multiple effects on the persons’ life, and can lead to impairments in activities, social participation, and environmental factors. Rehabilitation is important for regaining functioning and new skills. The aim of the study wasto determine the factors that people with SCI perceived as promoting and facilitating their rehabilitation, and what they found to be challenges and possible barriers. Methods This study was part of a larger, mixed method Finnish Spinal Cord Injury study (FinSCI). The current study had a qualitative approach and used a deductive-inductive content analysis. The deductive approach was guided by a theory of six phases of a rehabilitation process by Autti-Rämö, followed by an inductive analysis to describe in-depth the perceptions of persons with SCI in each phase of the rehabilitation process. We collected the data by interviews from 45 persons representing participants from FinSCI study and used a structured interview guide. Results We found 28 facilitators and 19 barriers in the rehabilitation process. The majority of the facilitators and barriers were related to the phase of rehabilitation planning. There were more barriers than facilitators at the beginning of the rehabilitation process in applying for and accessing treatment or rehabilitation, and during the implementation of rehabilitation. As for the facilitators that progressed the rehabilitation process, some of them included: successful or realized, planned treatments, rehabilitation events, clear goals, multidisciplinary teamwork, support, and monitoring various changing situations, and rehabilitating one’s own capability and activity. The barriers were: delays, challenges and deficiencies in the planning and implementation of their treatment or rehabilitation, the lack of different rehabilitation professionals’ skills and resources, and different patients’ personal factors, which made the progress of the rehabilitation process cumbersome. Conclusions We identified that communication and interaction were common denominators for the facilitators and barriers. Good communication and interaction among rehabilitation professionals and rehabilitees promoted the occurrence and repetition of facilitating factors during different phases of the rehabilitation process. Good care and good rehabilitation practice for people with SCI were the result of multidisciplinary teamwork, in which a person with SCI was an active member.

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Functional independence in the Finnish spinal cord injury population

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Environmental barriers perceived by the Finnish population with spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional survey

Environmental barriers perceived by the Finnish population with spinal cord injury: a cross-sectional survey

Facilitators and barriers in the rehabilitation process described by persons with spinal cord injury: a deductive-inductive analysis from the Finnish spinal cord injury study

Facilitators and barriers in the rehabilitation process described by persons with spinal cord injury: a deductive-inductive analysis from Finnish Spinal Cord Injury Study

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