Psychometric Properties of the Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Resilience Short Form in a Sample With Spinal Cord Injury

Measurement properties of the Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life (TBI-QoL) and Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life (SCI-QoL) measurement systems: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury impact all areas of individuals' quality of life. A synthesis of available evidence for the Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life (TBI-QoL) and Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life (SCI-QoL) measurement systems could inform evidence-based clinical practice and research. Thus, we aimed to systematically review the literature of existing evidence on the measurement properties of SCI-QoL and TBI-QoL among rehabilitation populations.

METHODS

We used the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) framework for evaluating measures to guide this systematic review. We searched nine electronic databases and registries, and hand-searched reference lists of included articles. Two independent reviewers screened selected articles and extracted the data. We used COSMIN's thresholds to synthesize measurement properties evidence (insufficient, sufficient), and the modified GRADE approach to synthesize evidence quality (very-low, low, moderate, high).

RESULTS

We included 16 studies for SCI-QoL and 14 studies for TBI-QoL. Both measurement systems have sufficient content validity, structural validity, internal consistency and construct validity across nearly all domains (GRADE: high). Most SCI-QoL domains and some TBI-QoL domains have sufficient evidence of cross-cultural validity and test-retest reliability (GRADE: moderate-high). Besides the cognition domains of TBI-QoL, which have indeterminate evidence for measurement error and sufficient evidence for responsiveness (GRADE: high), there is no additional evidence available for these measurement properties.

CONCLUSION

Rehabilitation researchers and clinicians can use SCI-QoL and TBI-QoL to describe and evaluate patients. Further evidence of measurement error, responsiveness, and predictive validity would advance the use and interpretation of SCI-QoL and TBI-QoL in rehabilitation.

Validation of an eight-item resilience scale for inpatients with spinal cord injuries in a rehabilitation hospital: exploratory factor analyses and item response theory

PURPOSE

People with spinal cord injury (PwSCI) can experience life changes, including impacts on their physical and mental health. PwSCI often report less life satisfaction and lower subjective well-being than peers without SCI. These challenges and adversities increase the demand on them to be more resilient. Healthcare providers need quick and valid instruments to assess adult patients' resilience in clinical settings. We aimed to validate the factor validity and discrimination ability of a resilience scale, CD-RISC-10, for clinical usage in adults with SCI during hospitalization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

93 adults with SCI responded to the self-reported survey, including CD-RISC-10, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Scale (PHQ-9), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Intrinsic Spirituality Scale. We conducted descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and item response theory (IRT).

RESULTS

Two items were deleted from CD-RISC-10 after EFA, forming CD-RISC-8. The item discriminations of the remaining eight items from the unconstrained IRT model ranged from a high of 3.071 to a relatively low 1.433. CD-RISC-8 is significantly related to PHQ-9 and SWLS.

CONCLUSIONS

The factor validity of the CD-RISC-8 was improved. Significantly, the CD-RISC-8 has excellent potential for clinical usage due to its discriminant ability between low and intermediate resilience.

Rehabilitation to Improve Outcomes after Cervical Spine Surgery: Narrative Review

PURPOSE

The increasing elderly patient population is contributing to the rising worldwide load of cervical spinal disorders, which is expected to result in a global increase in the number of surgical procedures in the foreseeable future. Cervical rehabilitation plays a crucial role in optimal recovery after cervical spine surgeries. Nevertheless, there is no agreement in the existing research regarding the most suitable postsurgical rehabilitation program. Consequently, this review assesses the ideal rehabilitation approach for adult patients following cervical spine operations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This review covers activities of daily living and encompasses diverse treatment methods, including physiotherapy, specialized tools, and guidance for everyday activities. The review is organized under three headings: (1) historical perspectives, (2) patient-reported functional outcomes, and (3) general and disease-specific rehabilitation.

RESULTS

Rehabilitation programs are determined on the basis of patient-reported outcomes, performance tests, and disease prognosis. CSM requires strengthening of the neck and shoulder muscles that have been surgically invaded. In contrast, the CCI requires mobility according to the severity of the spinal cord injury and functional prognosis. The goal of rehabilitation for CCTs, as for CCIs, is to achieve ambulation, but the prognosis and impact of cancer treatment must be considered.

CONCLUSIONS

Rehabilitation of the cervical spine after surgery is essential for improving physical function and the ability to perform daily activities and enhancing overall quality of life. The rehabilitation process should encompass general as well as disease-specific exercises. While current rehabilitation protocols heavily focus on strengthening muscles, they often neglect the crucial aspect of spinal balance. Therefore, giving equal attention to muscle reinforcement and the enhancement of spinal balance following surgery on the cervical spine is vital.

Perceived Relational Empathy and Resilience in People with Spinal Cord Injury at the End of Acute Care: A Cross-Sectional Study

In patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) and experience of care measures (PREMs) are extremely relevant for the prognosis. However, there is a paucity of research on these topics. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the relationships between these patient outcomes and other demographic and clinical variables in adult SCI patients discharged from the intensive care unit of an Italian tertiary rehabilitation hospital. We administered the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) for perceived relational empathy, the Spinal Cord Independence Measure III self-report (SCIM-SR) for functional autonomy, the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) for resilience. Study participants consisted of 148 adults with SCI; 82.4% were male, with a mean age of 49.9 years (SD = 16.6). The lesion was traumatic in 82.4% and complete in 74.3% of cases. The median length of hospital stays was 35 days (interquartile range-IQR = 23-60). Perceived relational empathy was positively associated with resilience (r = 0.229, p = 0.005) and negatively associated with the length of the stay and lesion completeness. Resilience had a weak negative association with pain (r = -0.173, p = 0.035) and was unrelated to other variables. Clinicians should consider the routine assessment of PREMs and PROMs in order to personalize post-discharge therapeutic plans and identify appropriate measures to ensure continuity of care.