Abstract
Study design
An observational study based on an online survey to explore if the participant had experienced (1) cancellation or delay of scheduled health services (2) reduction of assistance provided by a caregiver (3) barriers to social participation and recreational activities. Three validated questionnaires to investigate well-being and symptoms of anxiety and depression were also administered.
Objectives
Our main aim was to quantify the obstacles experienced by adults living with SCI in Italy during COVID-19 pandemic, to explore the presence of depression and anxiety symptoms and to quantify subjective well-being.
Setting
Outpatient clinic of a Spinal Unit in Italy.
Methods
Online survey via direct contact and by e-mail lists.
Results
In total, 101 individuals completed the survey. Of, 82.2% participants reported a history of deferment or cancellation of non-COVID-19 health services. The majority (56.4%) revealed that, at least seldom, they have chosen to reduce their usual everyday activities and more than one third (37.6%) affirmed that they had been forced to renounce to one or more of their occupations. Discontinuation of assistance by caregivers was uncommon. The median score of questionnaires measuring depression and anxiety symptoms do not differ significatively when compared with prior studies. The variable that explored the limitations experienced in everyday activities showed a significant correlation with the results of the questionnaires measuring well-being and symptoms of anxiety.
Conclusions
We believe that our results could contribute to the discussion ongoing inside our community on how to answer to the new challenges of this pandemic period and of the post-pandemic future.
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Data availability
The datasets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Righi, G., Baroni, E., Righi, L. et al. Perception of the COVID-19 pandemic among people with spinal cord injury: an Italian survey. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 8, 2 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-021-00470-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41394-021-00470-x
