“It’s been a double-edged sword”: An online qualitative exploration of the impact of COVID- 19 on individuals with spinal cord injury in the US with comparisons to previous UK findings

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2024 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2022.2129164 · Published: January 1, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury COVID-19 Research Methodology & Design

Simple Explanation

This study explores the experiences of people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on how lockdowns and social distancing affected them. The research identifies key themes, such as challenges in accessing healthcare, psychological coping mechanisms, and changes in daily life, while also highlighting some positive reflections. By comparing these experiences with similar data from the UK, the study reveals both shared challenges and unique differences in how people with SCI navigated the pandemic in different cultural contexts.

Study Duration

September 30, 2020 to October 28, 2020

Participants

36 persons with SCI in the US

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Participants experienced challenges in health and access to care, including cancelled appointments, delayed procedures, and difficulties accessing necessary medical supplies and caregivers.
2
Individuals with SCI engaged in psychological sense-making around the pandemic, with some expressing fear and vulnerability, while others framed their previous traumatic injury as a source of resilience.
3
Daily life during the pandemic brought both gains, such as increased connection to family and friends, and losses, such as increased social isolation and feelings of being 'more disabled'.

Research Summary

This paper represents a novel exploration of the experiences of people living with SCI in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions put in place to manage the outbreak across the US. The results demonstrate the impacts of the virus and infection control measures on people with SCI, such as lack of access to healthcare, while also contrasting these with sense-making positives that appeared to be helpful in managing distress and coping with the impacts of the pandemic. SCI-related issues emerged throughout the sample; wherein the health-related, psychological, and social wellbeing were impacted in similar ways to others without disabilities, but in acutely SCI-specific ways.

Practical Implications

Telehealth Support

Encouraging the use of telehealth and online support to maintain access to rehabilitation and mental health services.

Address Health Anxiety

Identifying and addressing concerns related to health anxiety and access to care to minimize detrimental impacts on well-being.

Recognize Individual Circumstances

Acknowledging and addressing the unique vulnerabilities and strengths of individuals with SCI during crises.

Study Limitations

1
The findings of this study represent the opinions, attitudes and experiences of the relatively small sample studied, which may reduce ability to draw causal links between concerns.
2
there is potential for selection bias, in that people who had experienced more distress, concerns, or barriers to healthcare may have been more likely to respond to the survey so as to make their voices heard.
3
the findings presented need to be considered reflective of a single time-point and that causality cannot be inferred.

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