Abstract

Session presented on Saturday, July 25, 2015:

Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to test and evaluate the usefulness of a spinal cord injury (SCI) self-management program. Background: SCI causes severe disability, leading to substantial complications for the rest of life. The long-term care needs of patients with SCI are a series of dynamic processes for rebuilding life and include physical care and complication prevention, life planning, social support, determining the value of existence, and sexual satisfaction.

Methods: The pilot study had a quasiexperimental pretest - posttest design. Eligible participants were recruited from the Spinal Injury Association in Taiwan. All data were collected between March and May 2014. The self-management program was developed on the basis of a quality study that focused on the perceptions and experiences of patients with SCI regarding their long-term care needs. All participants were evaluated using instruments for collecting personal information and assessing self-efficacy and health status as well as indicators at the baseline and 5 weeks after a home visit intervention. The study was approved by an ethical review board (cRREC-101-019).

Results: A total of 9 participants, 8 men and 1 woman, participated in this pilot study; the average age was 44 years and the average number of months since injury was 31.33 (11.85). Most of the patients (44.4%) were injured in road accidents. The study results showed that the range of their score on the self-efficacy scale was 62.22-68.56 and that on the health status scale was 2.89-3.00 (from 1, not healthy, to 5, very healthy). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the pretest and posttest scores regarding the self-efficacy and the health status. Moreover, the mean was 3.7 (from 1, not useful, to 5, very useful) on the participants' perception of the usefulness of the program.

Conclusion: The study tested and evaluated the usefulness of a self-management program for patients with SCI. The results showed no difference between the pretest and posttest scores. Therefore, a longitudinal study in which all participants are evaluated using instruments for collecting personal information and assessing self-efficacy and health status as well as indicators at the baseline and 3 and 6 months must be conducted.

Authors

Hsiao-Yu Chen

Author Details

Hsiao-Yu Chen, RN

Sigma Membership

Unknown

Type

Poster

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Spinal Cord Injury, Self-management, Quasi-experimental Study

Conference Name

26th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Conference Year

2015

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Testing and evaluating a spinal cord injury self-management program: A pilot study

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Session presented on Saturday, July 25, 2015:

Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to test and evaluate the usefulness of a spinal cord injury (SCI) self-management program. Background: SCI causes severe disability, leading to substantial complications for the rest of life. The long-term care needs of patients with SCI are a series of dynamic processes for rebuilding life and include physical care and complication prevention, life planning, social support, determining the value of existence, and sexual satisfaction.

Methods: The pilot study had a quasiexperimental pretest - posttest design. Eligible participants were recruited from the Spinal Injury Association in Taiwan. All data were collected between March and May 2014. The self-management program was developed on the basis of a quality study that focused on the perceptions and experiences of patients with SCI regarding their long-term care needs. All participants were evaluated using instruments for collecting personal information and assessing self-efficacy and health status as well as indicators at the baseline and 5 weeks after a home visit intervention. The study was approved by an ethical review board (cRREC-101-019).

Results: A total of 9 participants, 8 men and 1 woman, participated in this pilot study; the average age was 44 years and the average number of months since injury was 31.33 (11.85). Most of the patients (44.4%) were injured in road accidents. The study results showed that the range of their score on the self-efficacy scale was 62.22-68.56 and that on the health status scale was 2.89-3.00 (from 1, not healthy, to 5, very healthy). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the pretest and posttest scores regarding the self-efficacy and the health status. Moreover, the mean was 3.7 (from 1, not useful, to 5, very useful) on the participants' perception of the usefulness of the program.

Conclusion: The study tested and evaluated the usefulness of a self-management program for patients with SCI. The results showed no difference between the pretest and posttest scores. Therefore, a longitudinal study in which all participants are evaluated using instruments for collecting personal information and assessing self-efficacy and health status as well as indicators at the baseline and 3 and 6 months must be conducted.