title: Identifying and classifying quality of life tools for neurogenic bladder function after spinal cord injury: A systematic review.
abstract: To identify and classify quality of life (QoL) tools for assessing the influence of neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury/disease (SCI).
  
  
  
  Systematic Review Methods: Medline/Pubmed, CINAHL, and PsycInfo were searched using terms related to SCI, neurogenic bladder and QoL. Studies that assessed the influence neurogenic bladder on QoL (or related construct) in samples consisting of ≥50% individuals with SCI were included. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts of 368 identified references; 118 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 42 studies were included. Two reviewers independently classified outcomes as objective (societal viewpoint) or subjective (patient perspective) using a QoL framework.
  
  
  
  Ten objective QoL measures were identified, with the Medical Outcomes Short Form (SF-36/SF-12) used most frequently. Fourteen subjective QoL measures were identified; 8 were specific to neurogenic bladder. Psychometric evidence for SCI-specific neurogenic bladder QoL tools was reported for the Quality of Life Index (QLI), Qualiveen, Bladder Complications Scale, Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Bladder Management Difficulties, and the SCI-QOL Bladder Management Difficulties-Short Form. The QLI and Qualiveen showed sensitivity to neurogenic bladder in experimental designs.
  
  
  
  Several objective and subjective tools exist to assess the influence of neurogenic bladder on QoL in SCI. The QLI and Qualiveen, both subjective tools, were the only validated SCI-specific tools that showed sensitivity to neurogenic bladder. Further validation of existing subjective SCI-specific outcomes is needed. Research to validate objective measures of QoL would be useful for informing practice and policy related to resource allocation for bladder care post-SCI.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation , Université Laval , Quebec City , QC , Canada.|b Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS) , Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec , Quebec City , QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Krista L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Best
authors.affiliation: c University of Manitoba , Department of Medicine , Winnipeg , MB , Canada.|d Health Sciences Centre , Section of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , Winnipeg , MB , Canada.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ethans
authors.affiliation: e Toronto Rehabilitation Institute , University Health Network , Toronto , ON , Canada.|f Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: B Catharine
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8234-6803
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Craven
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rehabilitation , Université Laval , Quebec City , QC , Canada.|b Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS) , Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec , Quebec City , QC , Canada.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Noreau
authors.affiliation: e Toronto Rehabilitation Institute , University Health Network , Toronto , ON , Canada.|g St-John's Rehab Research Program , Sunnybrook Research Institute , Toronto , ON , Canada.|h School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health , York University , Toronto , ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Sander L
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9139-9250
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hitzig
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Neurogenic bladder; Quality of life; Spinal cord injury; Systematic review