Health behaviour of persons with spinal cord injury

Postal survey.

To describe the health behaviour of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in the community and the relationships between health behaviour, respondent/injury characteristics, and health-related variables: the presence and number of secondary impairments, readmissions in rehabilitation centre and hospital, and perceived health.

Members of the Dutch Association of Patients with SCI.

The frequency of health behaviours, that delay or prevent secondary impairments, was assessed by means of a 22-item, self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire was also focused on 13 secondary impairments.

The frequency of engaging in health behaviour varied considerably between the respondents. Variance was observed between and within the health behaviours measured. The respondents did not frequently engage in pressure relief methods when sitting/driving in their wheelchair. Almost no statistical differences were observed between health behaviour of subgroups of respondents based on respondent/injury characteristics. However, the total health behaviour scores increased significantly with increasing age and pressure sore prevention was significantly more applied in persons with a complete lesion. Health behaviour was significantly more applied in respondents who had one or more secondary impairments.

As secondary impairments are prevalent among persons with SCI and education on a healthy lifestyle is a core component of every rehabilitation programme, it is of great importance to rigorously test the efficacy of health behaviours promoted during rehabilitation. Therefore, longitudinal research is recommended.