title: Analysis of functional status, quality of life and community integration in earthquake survivors with spinal cord injury at hospital discharge and one-year follow-up in the community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compares functional status, quality of life and community integration in 2008 Sichuan earthquake survivors with spinal cord injury at hospital discharge and at 1-year follow-up in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six subjects with spinal cord injury completed demographic and medical questionnaires and underwent medical examination at discharge from a hospital rehabilitation department and after 1 year in the community. Functional status, quality of life and community integration were assessed by appropriate instruments over this period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Functional status measures showed significantly increased (p < 0.05) scores for the Modified Barthel Index and Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II; depression and pain scores were reduced with no statistical significance. After discharge, nearly half of patients developed a new pressure sore and most patients had urinary complications. Self-reported quality of life, overall health, and satisfaction with social relationships increased significantly (p < 0.05), while the environment domain was reduced (p < 0.05). Social participation (i.e. community integration) results showed an improvement in physical independence and mobility (p < 0.05), but a decline in cognitive independence (p < 0.05). Only 15% of the population returned to work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Special attention should be paid to cognitive and emotional function, occupational training and social integration during rehabilitation measures after earthquakes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gosney
authors.forename: Jan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
authors.forename: Sijing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jianan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D055866:Earthquakes; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010351:Patient Discharge; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D062707:Return to Work; D057566:Self Report; D058992:Social Participation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013534:Survival; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016138:Walking