Article

OBJECTIVE: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of individuals with
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in Neiva, Colombia.
METHODS: 40 Colombians with SCI and 42 age- and gender-matched
controls completed the SF-36,
a self-report measure composed of eight component
areas (physical health problems, role limitations due to personal or emotional
problems, emotional well-being, social functioning, energy/fatigue, and general
health perceptions). RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, individuals with SCI
had significantly lower means on five SF-36 subscales:
physical functioning (22.5
vs. 94.0; p < 0.001), role limitations due to physical problems (54.4 vs. 77.4; p
< 0.01), social functioning (67.5 vs. 80.1; p < 0.05), pain (65.4 vs. 79.5; p <
0.01), and general health (54.9 vs. 69.4; p < 0.01).
Both groups scored similarly
on the SF-36 emotional well-being subscale. CONCLUSION: Individuals with SCI from
Neiva, Colombia report having poorer quality of life across various domains than
healthy controls, primarily in the area of physical functioning. These findings
suggest the need for rehabilitation health professionals to develop and implement
interventions to improve HRQOL in individuals with SCI.

Langue : ANGLAIS