title: Clinical interpretation of the Spinal Cord Injury Functional Index (SCI-FI).
abstract: To provide validation of functional ability levels for the Spinal Cord Injury - Functional Index (SCI-FI).
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  
  Inpatient rehabilitation hospital and community settings.
  
  
  
  A sample of 855 individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury enrolled in 6 rehabilitation centers participating in the National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Network.
  
  
  
  Not Applicable.
  
  
  
  Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index (SCI-FI).
  
  
  
  Cluster analyses identified three distinct groups that represent low, mid-range and high SCI-FI functional ability levels. Comparison of clusters on personal and other injury characteristics suggested some significant differences between groups.
  
  
  
  These results strongly support the use of SCI-FI functional ability levels to document the perceived functional abilities of persons with SCI. Results of the cluster analysis suggest that the SCI-FI functional ability levels capture function by injury characteristics. Clinical implications regarding tracking functional activity trajectories during follow-up visits are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Kessler Foundation , West Orange , NJ , USA.|b Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation , Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School , Newark , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fyffe
authors.affiliation: c University of Michigan Medical School , Ann Arbor , MI , USA.
authors.forename: Claire Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Kalpakjian
authors.affiliation: d Health & Disability Research Institute, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slavin
authors.affiliation: e Departments of Physical Therapy and Psychological and Brain Sciences , University of Delaware , Newark , DE , USA.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kisala
authors.affiliation: f Boston Rehabilitation Outcomes Center, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Pengsheng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: a Kessler Foundation , West Orange , NJ , USA.|b Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation , Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School , Newark , NJ , USA.|g Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation , West Orange , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kirshblum
authors.affiliation: a Kessler Foundation , West Orange , NJ , USA.|e Departments of Physical Therapy and Psychological and Brain Sciences , University of Delaware , Newark , DE , USA.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tulsky
authors.affiliation: d Health & Disability Research Institute, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA.|f Boston Rehabilitation Outcomes Center, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jette
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Activities of daily living; Cluster analysis; Motor activities; Spinal cord injuries