The unmet functioning needs of persons with long term traumatic spinal cord injury in Kenya

Date
2023-03
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is damage of the spinal cord due to trauma, disease, or degeneration, leading to activity limitations and participation restrictions of the individual in the society. In Kenya, there is only one referral hospital for spinal cord injury rehabilitation After discharge, follow up in the community is rarely done. There is therefore a need to better understand the unmet functioning needs of persons with SCI in Kenya. Aim: To determine the unmet functioning needs, in terms of health status (secondary medical conditions), activity limitations, and participation restrictions, as well as the prevalence of environmental challenges of community- dwelling of persons with TSCI (PWTSCI). Methods: : A cross-sectional design was used to determine the health status and functioning of persons with SCI (PWSCI). A report of the secondary medical conditions (SMC), activity limitations, participation restrictions and environmental barriers was compiled using the International Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey (InSCI) questionnaire. The demographic information was summarized using descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics, i.e., measures of association, were done to ascertain differences in sub-groups, for example, sex, level of injury, completeness of injury, and duration of injury Results: 66 (73%) were categorically male and 24 (27%) females, with a male to female ratio of 2.8:1. The mean age at the time of injury was 32.04 years (s.d. 9.60), while most of the participants were in the 31-45 age group. Economically, 40% of the participants received a monthly income of less than 1100 Kshs (approx. 11 USD). 90% had paraplegia and 66% of participants presented with complete SCI. In terms of secondary medical conditions, the most common reported were bladder dysfunction (60%), sexual dysfunction (57%), pain (44%), and bowel dysfunction (47%). The least reported complications were injury caused by loss of sensation (3%), autonomic dysreflexia (9%), and postural hypotension (12%). The leading SMC in males was sexual dysfunction at 62% while in females, bladder dysfunction at 70%. The leading SMCs among participants with tetraplegia, paraplegia, complete and incomplete injury was bladder dysfunction. Most of the participants experienced activity limitations in toileting (76%), dressing the lower body (63%), dressing the upper body (59%), and bladder management (56%). Participation restrictions reported by most of the participants were using public transportation (90%), standing unsupported (83%), and getting to destination (76%). The leading participation restriction reported by males and females, participants with tetraplegia and paraplegia, complete and incomplete injury, was using public transportation. The prevalent environmental barriers experienced by the participants were inadequate finances (96%), inaccessibility to public places (92%) and lack of adaptive equipment for long distance transportation (90%). Inadequate finances was the most prevalent barrier experienced by both the male and female participants, participants with tetraplegia and paraplegia, and those with complete and incomplete injury. Conclusion: This study highlighted the unmet functioning needs of PWTSCI in Kenya, which will require strengthening of health services, improved access to care, and improved intersectoral collaboration between healthcare, social welfare services, transportation, and infrastructure. Rehabilitation services should also be more community oriented to increase community participation.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Spinaalkoordbeserings (SKB) is skade aan die rugmurg as gevolg van trauma, siekte of degenerasie, wat lei tot aktiwiteitsbeperkings en deelnamebeperkings van die individu in die samelewing. In Kenia is daar net een verwysingshospitaal vir rugmurgbeseringsrehabilitasie Na ontslag word opvolg in die gemeenskap selde gedoen. Daar is dus 'n behoefte om die onbevredigde funksioneringsbehoeftes van persone met SKB in Kenia beter te verstaan. Doelwitte: Om die onbevredigde funksioneringsbehoeftes te bepaal, in terme van gesondheidstatus (sekondere mediese toestande), aktiwiteitsbeperkings en deelnamebeperkings, sowel as die voorkoms van omgewingsuitdagings van gemeenskapsbewoning van persone met TSKB (PMTSKB). Metodologie: 'n Dwarssnitontwerp is gebruik om die gesondheidstatus en funksionering van persone met SKB (PMSBI) te bepaal. ’n Verslag van die sekondere mediese toestande (SMC), aktiwiteitsbeperkings, deelnamebeperkings en omgewingshindernisse is saamgestel deur die Internasionale Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey (InSCI) vraelys te gebruik. Die demografiese inligting is opgesom met behulp van beskrywende statistieke. Inferensiele statistieke, dit wil se maatstawwe van assosiasie, is gedoen om verskille in subgroepe vas te stel, byvoorbeeld geslag, vlak van besering, volledigheid van besering en duur van besering. Resultate: 66 (73%) was kategories manlik en 24 (27%) vroulik, met 'n man tot vrou verhouding van 2.8:1. Die gemiddelde ouderdom ten tyde van die besering was 32.04 jaar (s.d. 9.60), terwyl die meeste van die deelnemers in die 31-45 ouderdomsgroep was. Ekonomies het 40% van die deelnemers 'n maandelikse inkomste van minder as 1100 Kshs (ongeveer 11 USD) ontvang. 90% het paraplegie gehad en 66% van die deelnemers het volledige SCI gehad. Wat sekondere mediese toestande betref, was blaasdisfunksie (60%), seksuele disfunksie (57%), pyn (44%) en dermdisfunksie (47%) die algemeenste berig. Die minste aangemelde komplikasies was besering wat veroorsaak is deur verlies aan sensasie (3%), outonome disrefleksie (9%) en posturale hipotensie (12%). Die voorste SMC by mans was seksuele disfunksie teen 62%, terwyl blaasdisfunksie by vroue 70% was. Die voorste SMC's onder deelnemers met tetraplegie, paraplegie, volledige en onvolledige besering was blaasdisfunksie. Die meeste van die deelnemers het aktiwiteitsbeperkings ervaar in toiletbediening (76%), aantrek van die onderlyf (63%), aantrek van die bolyf (59%) en blaasbestuur (56%). Deelnamebeperkings wat deur die meeste van die deelnemers gerapporteer is, was die gebruik van openbare vervoer (90%), om ongesteun te staan (83%) en om na die bestemming te kom (76%). Die voorste deelnamebeperking wat deur mans en vroue, deelnemers met tetraplegie en paraplegie, volledige en onvolledige besering gerapporteer is, was die gebruik van openbare vervoer. Die algemene omgewingshindernisse wat die deelnemers ervaar het, was onvoldoende finansies (96%), ontoeganklikheid tot openbare plekke (92%) en 'n gebrek aan aanpasbare toerusting vir langafstandvervoer (90%). Onvoldoende finansies was die mees algemene hindernis wat beide die manlike en vroulike deelnemers ervaar het, deelnemers met tetraplegie en paraplegie, en diegene met volledige en onvolledige besering. Gevolgtrekking Hierdie studie het die onvervulde funksioneringsbehoeftes van PMTSKB in Kenia uitgelig, wat versterking van gesondheidsdienste, verbeterde toegang tot sorg en verbeterde intersektorale samewerking tussen gesondheidsorg, maatskaplike welsynsdienste, vervoer en infrastruktuur sal vereis. Rehabilitasiedienste moet ook meer gemeenskapsgeorienteerd wees om gemeenskapsdeelname te verhoog.
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Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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