Work

Factors enabling comorbidities and secondary conditions in older adults with spinal cord injury

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of personal, social, and environmental factors predicting comorbidities and secondary conditions among older adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study utilizing survey methods were used to collect the data analyzed with two distinct general linear models. SETTING: Community-dwelling participants who resided in rural and urban areas. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and eighty-three (183) participants with SCI ages 45 and over at least five years post injury. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MEASURES: Spinal Cord Injury Secondary Conditions Scale (SCI-SCS); Comorbidities Questionnaire; Spinal Cord Injury Functional Index Assistive Technology (SCI-FI/AT) Basic - Mobility; Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities Scale (SSRA); Cohen's Social Network-Social Integration Index, the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Emotional/Informational Support Scale, and the Facilitators and Barriers Survey for Mobility (FABS-Mv2). Questions were also asked from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). RESULTS: Common predictors of comorbidities and secondary conditions included age, basic mobility, primary health care payer and parking limitations. An interaction between parking and neurological classification was observed for comorbidities. Neurological classification and employment were significantly associated with comorbidities while for secondary conditions, sex, years since injury, education, satisfaction with social roles and the home environment were critical factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows the effects of demographic and injury factors, physical functioning, satisfaction with social roles, access to home environment adaptations and health resources in predicting comorbidities and secondary conditions among older adults with SCI.

Source: Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine

DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2022.2108662

Authors: Denise G. Tate, Martin Forchheimer, Lisa Reber, Michelle Meade, Nasya Tan, Philippa Clarke

Institutions: University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine, Institute for Social Research

Language: English

Topic: Spinal Cord Injury Research

Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Craig H. Neilsen Foundation