Identifying and Classifying Quality of Life Tools for Assessing Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction After Spinal Cord Injury

This research identifies and classifies tools used to measure the impact of neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) on the quality of life (QoL) for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). It categorizes these tools as either objective (societal viewpoint) or subjective (personal viewpoint) based on Dijkers’ theoretical QoL framework. The study found 13 tools that assess the influence of NBD on QoL in SCI patients. The Health Utility Index (HUI-III) was identified as the only tool providing data on “QoL as utility,” while the validated NBD score was the only condition-specific tool assessing QoL as “subjective well-being.” The review emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate QoL tools to accurately measure individual progress and treatment effects on QoL, which can inform practice and policy related to resource allocation for bowel care post SCI.

• 1
  Thirteen QoL outcome tools were identified, five objective and eight subjective, used in studies assessing the influence of NBD on QoL in SCI.
• 2
  The Health Utility Index (HUI-III) was the only identified tool that provided data on “QoL as utility” regarding the impact of NBD.
• 3
  The NBD score was identified as the only condition-specific tool to assess QoL as “subjective well-being.”