title: A pilot study of spirituality and inpatient rehabilitation outcomes in persons with spinal cord dysfunction and severe neurological illnesses.
abstract: This prospective, observational pilot study was conducted on an academic inpatient rehabilitation unit. Ninety-three persons with spinal cord dysfunction or severe neurological illness participated. All completed admission surveys; 46 completed surveys six months after discharge. The aims were to describe admission and post-discharge spirituality and associations between spirituality and rehabilitation outcomes. At admission, participants reported spirituality similar to that of other samples of medical patients. After discharge, frequency of private spiritual practices increased and spiritual and existential well-being decreased. No significant associations were detected between spirituality and rehabilitation outcomes. Findings suggest the importance of spirituality to the participants and future research with a larger sample and modifications to the methodology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chaplain Services, Department of Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. piderman.katherine@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Piderman
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Terry M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Theneau
authors.forename: Susanna R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Ronald K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Reeves
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D029181:Spirituality; D055815:Young Adult