title: Factors influencing acceptance of disability in individuals with spinal cord injury in Neiva, Colombia, South America.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to determine the level of acceptance of disability as measured by the Acceptance of Disability Scale (ADS) within a sample of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) from Neiva, Colombia and to examine the influence of sociodemographic variables, injury characteristics, and level of depression on ADS score.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ADS was administered to 40 adults with SCI from Nieva, Colombia who were recruited from an organization that connects individuals with disabilities to resources. Most (92.5%) participants were men, with a mean age of 34.75 years and approximately 12 years since injury. Fifty-five percent of subjects were diagnosed with paraplegia and the remainder with tetraplegia. Descriptive, linear model and multiple regression analyses were used to describe the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean total ADS score of this sample was 171.5, indicating overall low disability acceptance. After controlling for level of depression and time since injury, gender was significantly related to ADS score such that women reported higher acceptance of disability. After controlling for gender and time since injury, level of depression was significantly related to ADS score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acceptance of disability is a serious problem in this group of SCI survivors in Neiva, Colombia, especially among women and individuals with higher levels of depression. Because acceptance of disability is likely a problem for many individuals living with disability in the developing world, future researchers should investigate what interventions (e.g. counseling, pharmacological intervention, social service programs) can be implemented to improve acceptance of disability in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehan
authors.forename: Silvia Leonor Olivera
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Plaza
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jose Libardo Perdomo
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Jose Anselmo Arango
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pizarro
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carlos Arango-Lasprilla
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003105:Colombia; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult