Access and engagement with places in the community, and the quality of life among people with spinal cord damage.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association between self-reported accessibility and engagement with health services and places in the community, and quality of life (QOL) for people with spinal cord damage (SCD).

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Community.

Participants: Two-hundred and sixty-six people with a SCD residing in Australia (M_age = 62.34, SD_age = 15.95).

Outcome measure: The International Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life Basic Data Set.

Results: Univariate regressions demonstrated that accessing a higher number of places in the community was significantly associated with favorable self-reported psychological health (β = .160, P < .01), physical health (β = .144, P < .01), overall well-being (β = .206, P < .01), and QOL (β = .187, P < .01). In contrast, reporting a higher number of inaccessible places was significantly associated with unfavorable self-reported psychological health (β = -.171, P < .01), physical health (β = -.270, P < .001), overall well-being (β = -.238, P < .001), and QOL (β = -.244, P < .001). Being older and living with injury or onset of damage longer were significantly associated with favorable scores across all outcomes (P < .01) except physical health.

Conclusions: Community engagement can have a considerable impact on the self-reported health and QOL of people with SCD. Interventions aimed at increasing community engagement, particularly for people who have recently experienced SCD are warranted.