Factors Effect on Quality of Life of Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Shin, Sung Rae; Kim, Aee Lee

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to act nursing intervention strategies to promote quality of life (QOL) in Spinal Cord Injury patients. Therefore, the study is designed to evaluate religion, marital status, educational background economic status, level of injury, voiding pattern, transportation by driving, rehabilitation education, self-concept, sexual status, perceived barrier, powerlessness, depression, hope, social support, self-efficacy, anxiety, ADL, perceived hopelessness, personality and pain for QOL at the same time. It was gathered empirical data was collected using a self report questionnaire from 61 patients during a six month period after SCI at 5 general hospitals, at 2 rehabilitation centers and at 2 rehabilitation schools located in Seoul, Dae-jeon city, and Kyung-ki province from Jun. 18, 1999 through Sep. 28, 1999. The reliability of the 19 instruments was tested with Cronbach's alpha which ranged from .6319 to .9769. For the data analysis a SAS program was used for Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows; 1. The mean of total item score in the QOL scale was 2.814, which showed a much lower score than the cancer points. 2. There was a significant correlation between self concept, transportation by driving, perceived barrier, powerlessness, depression, hope, social support, self-efficacy, anxiety, ADL and QOL.(gamma= .27~-.79, p< .05) 3. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that; a) Depression was the main predictor of QOL and account for 53.7% of the variance in QOL. b) Hope, ecomic status and body satisfaction accounted for 8%, 4%, 3.4% respectively and these variables combined accounted for 69.2% of the variance in QOL. In conclusion, to begin with, it is important to reduce depression and to help for SCI points to inspire hope, economic status and body satisfaction. That will be short cut for nursing strategies to enhance QOL.