Grant: Project Grant

Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at risk for many chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer and health complications such as a urinary tract infection, pressure ulcer or pneumonia. One-third are re-hospitalized each year. Recently, shorter lengths of stay in rehabilitation facilities have led to individuals with SCI re-entering the community with fewer self-care skills to prevent health complications. There is a need to bridge the gap between the hospital and the home by developing and implementing strategies that increase patients' self-care skills and involvement in and control of their care. One strategy is to develop a targeted self-management program for individuals with SCI. Previous work by our team has confirmed the need for a self-management program for persons with SCI delivered online with peer facilitation. We are currently testing the prototype called SCI&U that was developed by a diverse team of researchers, persons with SCI and clinicians from all over Canada using a participatory design approach which includes users with SCI both as co-designers and experts. While safety and feasibility of peer-led, telephone-based self-management programs for the SCI community have been recently established, there has been no rigorous study to date that examines effectiveness of an online self-management program. Such evidence would justify widespread implementation and provide a basis to advocate for program funding. In order to provide evidence, a study is needed to evaluate the impact of SCI&U on self-management skills, quality of life and hospital use. Prior to launching a large scale study; however, a feasibility study is needed to inform recruitment, data collection and follow-up. It is anticipated that such a program would not only reduce health complications and hospital visits, but also improve quality of life for individuals with SCI.