Functional outcome of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients after rehabilitation at CRP: retrospective document review

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a condition which affects many people at every year. It is continuous major cause of disability throughout Asia as well as Bangladesh. SCI is a common injury and it adversely affects person’s daily life. SCI negatively can raise depression and reduce functional ability. Functional recovery also associated with a person’s age, sex, occupation, educational status. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the functional outcome of SCI patient after completing rehabilitation. Objective: The objectives were to find out functional outcome of a group of patients with spinal cord lesions being achieved after rehabilitation from CRP and the association between functional outcome and socio-demographic characteristics of SCI patients. Methodology: The study design was cross – sectional study. The sample size was the discharged patient’s documents of January 2016 – December 2016. Total 230 patients discharged from CRP after completing rehabilitation in 2016. Among them 147 patients fulfill the research criteria. But 40 patients were the participants of other study. That’s why the target population of this study was about 107. Previous documents were used for sample selection from inpatient unit of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) in Bangladesh which is the largest SCI rehabilitation centre in South Asia. Data was collected by SCIM scale and it was analyzed by SPSS software version 20.0. Results: After analyzing data result was found the recovery level of function. The study shows that out of 107 respondents, (37.4%) were in the young adult group ranging from 21 to 30 years and the mean ages of the patients were 34.22 years with standard deviation (±14.420). The numbers of male respondents are higher than females. The major cause of SCI of the study was traumatic 97.2 percent and non traumatic cause of injury was 2.8 percent. In the study 68.2 percent male and 7.5 percent female did not need any assistance during discharge for feeding. But this study didn’t found any statistically significant difference between sex and recovery self care activities (2.807< 0.05). Most of the patient discharge after 2-4 month rehabilitation. 38.3% patient discharge became fully independent in feeding. Study didn’t not found any statistical significant difference (0.117<0.05) between two areas like rehabilitation duration and recovery in Self care activities. Maximum VI participants’ age range was 31 -40 years (19.6%) who became independent in feeding during discharge whose age range was 31 – 40 years. 9.3% people became independent during discharge of 10 - 20 years aged people. On the other hand, between 41 – 80 years of people, little amount of people became fully independent in feeding during discharge. The study shows that, statistically there is highly significant relationship (p<0.05) between age and recovery in self care activities. 31.8% person became independent in grooming activity during discharge whose age range was 21 – 30 years. The second most participants of this study aged in between 31 - 40 years. 17.8% people became independent during discharge of this aged people. On the other hand, between 41 – 80 years of people, little amount of people became fully independent during discharge. This study shows that, statistically there is highly significant relationship (p<0.05) between age and recovery in self care activity (grooming). Conclusion: SCI is a consequence which may impact a person’s whole life. The results of this study provide more insight into the functional independents of a group of patients with spinal cord injury. Key Words: Spinal cord injury, functional recovery, Impacts of SCI on patient’s daily life