Grant: Catalyst Grant: Patient-Oriented Research

86,000 Canadians live with spinal cord injury (SCI), a complex condition that leads to serious and costly healthcare challenges. Around 44,000 of SCIs occur as a result of a traumatic injury, leaving the individual to cope with a range of physical health challenges, including paralysis, as well as other complications and costs. Pressure injury (PI) is one of the most serious complications of SCI and over 90% of sufferers will experience at least one PI in their lifetime. Persons with PI and SCI require ongoing access to healthcare, including frequent dressing changes. While the costs to the healthcare system are enormous, the burden to the individual is even greater as PIs contribute to further mobility challenges, social isolation, and potentially death. While there is growing evidence to support the management of PIs, little is known about how persons with SCI experience PI and how they interact with the healthcare system. This research is patient-driven and explores the perspectives and priorities of PI in persons with SCI in British Columbia (BC). Guiding research questions are: 1) What are the experiences of preventing and managing pressure injury in adults with traumatic SCI in BC? 2) What are the major patient-identified factors that impact individuals' interaction with healthcare services? And 3) What are the patient-oriented research priorities for pressure injury prevention and management in people with SCI? To address these, we will first undertake mapping and focus group/individual interviews to explore the experiences of persons with PI and SCI and their interactions with the health system. We will then conduct a workshop with patients to share our findings and to develop patient-oriented research priorities for PI and SCI. Exploring the experiences and priorities of PI in persons with SCI will address an important knowledge gap and will inform future healthcare practices and research initiatives that respond to issues of importance to patients.