title: Effects of paraplegia on quality of life and family economy among patients with spinal cord injuries in selected hospitals of Sri Lanka.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study was conducted with the aim of assessing the effects of paraplegia caused by spinal cord injuries on the quality of life of patients and their family economy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in Accident Service, Orthopedic and Neurosurgery Units of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka and the Spinal Injury Unit of Rehabilitation Hospital Ragama.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred traumatic paraplegic patients were included as the study sample. Modified Ferrans and Powers quality of life index: spinal cord injury version was used to measure the quality of life. Pre- and post-family economic data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quality of Life was calculated under four major components. Paraplegics' family component (mean=3.50) and social, economic aspects (mean=3.24) are considerably good when compared with health and functioning (mean=2.83) and psychological (mean=2.78) components. Also the study revealed that expenditures are significantly high (P=0.001) and income is significantly less (P=0.001) after injury than before.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quality of life is relatively good on family and social aspects, whereas the physical and psychological aspects are somewhat poor. Regarding family economy, expenses are significantly high and earnings are significantly less after the injury. Contribution to the income from self-employment shows the most significant decline. Findings suggest that the family economy of such patients should be supported.
authors.affiliation: Allied Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: H H N
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kalyani
authors.affiliation: Allied Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dassanayake
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Senarath
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013188:Sri Lanka; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult