title: Participation in activities and secondary health complications among persons aging with traumatic spinal cord injury.
abstract: METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe participation in activities and explore the relationship with secondary complications among persons aging with a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A regional SCI outpatient center in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected through a phone survey, which included 10 activities from the instrument PARTS/M-v3 (PARTicipation Survey/Mobility version-3) together with data from the participants' medical records. Cross-tabulation and χ2were used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 121 persons matched the inclusion criteria and the final study sample comprised 73 participants (60% response rate): 55 men and 18 women. Mean age was 63.7±9.4 years, and mean time since injury was 36.3±9.2 years. Regardless of duration of SCI, all 73 participated in dressing, bathing and leisure activities. Women reported better health than men. Particularly for those who lived 36-55 years after injury; increasing pain, fatigue, spasticity and decreased muscle strength were negatively affecting participation in activities, especially exercise and active recreation. Additionally, a need to save strength/energy was also a reason for not participating in the activities. Perceived future support and concerns in relation to personal assistance, assistive devices and rehabilitation was also reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing secondary health complications and a need to save strength/energy influenced participation in activities. Laws and/or governmental policies regarding personal assistance and assistive devices did not always support participation in activities. Interventions should aim to create a balance among activities in everyday life.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health and Rehabilitation, Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lundström
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wahman
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Å
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Seiger
authors.affiliation: Disability and Community Participation Research Office (DACPRO), Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Division of Health and Rehabilitation, Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isaksson
authors.affiliation: Division of Health and Rehabilitation, Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lilja
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010045:Outpatients; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden