Recovery of life satisfaction in persons with spinal cord injury during inpatient rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the course of life satisfaction of persons with spinal cord injury and its determinants during inpatient rehabilitation and up to 1 yr after discharge.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study of 222 persons with spinal cord injury. Measurements at the start of active rehabilitation, after 3 mos, at discharge, and 1 yr after discharge. Questions about current life satisfaction and current life satisfaction compared with life satisfaction before spinal cord injury were asked and analyzed, and the sum score Life Satisfaction Total of these questions was analyzed using a multilevel regression analysis. Person and injury characteristics and secondary impairments at each measurement were analyzed as possible determinants of the Life Satisfaction Total score.


RESULTS
Estimated Life Satisfaction Total scores improved from 5.3 (SE, 0.16) at the start of active rehabilitation up to 6.5 (0.17) at discharge and remained stable (6.5; 0.16) during the first year after discharge. Significant determinants of a positive course of life satisfaction were less pain, fewer secondary impairments, and better functional status.


CONCLUSIONS
Life satisfaction already improves during inpatient rehabilitation. Functional status, pain, and secondary impairments must be treated adequately in multidisciplinary rehabilitation.
van Koppenhagen
Casper F
CF
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Post
Marcel W
MW
van der Woude
Luc H
LH
de Groot
Sonja
S
de Witte
Luc P
LP
van Asbeck
Floris W
FW
van den Heuvel
Wim
W
Lindeman
Eline
E
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult