{"title":"Sexual, bladder and bowel problems in people with spinal cord injury in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.","authors":"Lauren Tomes, Sonti Pilusa","doi":"10.4102/ajod.v14i0.1480","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-changing experience that comes with multiple health challenges such as bowel, bladder and sexual health problems. Studies on the experiences of people with SCI based in rural South Africa are scarce.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to explore the experience and long-term care needs related to sexual, bowel and bladder problems in people with SCI in a rural setting.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>An exploratory qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people with SCI living in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded. The content analysis steps were followed to identify categories and themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 12 individuals with SCI were interviewed. Frustration was the main theme that emerged with three sub-themes: types, management and effects of sexual, and bladder and bowel problems on individuals with SCI. The expressed long-term care needs were medication specific to SCI conditions, health information on secondary health conditions and prevention care, and resources such as nappies and quality catheters.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings confirm that secondary health conditions such as bowel, bladder and sexual health problems affect the well-being of people with SCI in rural settings. Prevention care is urgently needed.</p><p><strong>Contribution: </strong>Patient education information on bowel, bladder and sexual health problems, and access to medication is imperative to support self-management practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":45606,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Disability","volume":"14 ","pages":"1480"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12067624/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"African Journal of Disability","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v14i0.1480","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-changing experience that comes with multiple health challenges such as bowel, bladder and sexual health problems. Studies on the experiences of people with SCI based in rural South Africa are scarce.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore the experience and long-term care needs related to sexual, bowel and bladder problems in people with SCI in a rural setting.
Method: An exploratory qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people with SCI living in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded. The content analysis steps were followed to identify categories and themes.
Results: A total of 12 individuals with SCI were interviewed. Frustration was the main theme that emerged with three sub-themes: types, management and effects of sexual, and bladder and bowel problems on individuals with SCI. The expressed long-term care needs were medication specific to SCI conditions, health information on secondary health conditions and prevention care, and resources such as nappies and quality catheters.
Conclusion: The findings confirm that secondary health conditions such as bowel, bladder and sexual health problems affect the well-being of people with SCI in rural settings. Prevention care is urgently needed.
Contribution: Patient education information on bowel, bladder and sexual health problems, and access to medication is imperative to support self-management practice.
期刊介绍：
The African Journal of Disability, the official journal of CRS, AfriNEAD and CEDRES, introduce and discuss issues and experiences relating to and supporting the act of better understanding the interfaces between disability, poverty and practices of exclusion and marginalisation. Its articles yield new insight into established human development practices, evaluate new educational techniques and disability research, examine current cultural and social discrimination, and bring serious critical analysis to bear on problems shared across the African continent. Emphasis is on all aspects of disability particularity in the developing African context. This includes, amongst others: -disability studies as an emerging field of public health enquiry -rehabilitation, including vocational and community-based rehabilitation -community development and medical issues related to disability and poverty -disability-related stigma and discrimination -inclusive education -legal, policy, human rights and advocacy issues related to disability -the role of arts and media in relation to disability -disability as part of global Sustainable Development Goals transformation agendas -disability and postcolonial issues -globalisation and cultural change in relation to disability -environmental and climate-related issues linked to disability -disability, diversity and intersections of identity -disability and the promotion of human development.
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