Health-related quality of life in active persons with spinal cord injury

Abstract

This study aims at identifying how sports activity status, level of residual func-tion, and independence in activities of daily living (ADL) affect the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of persons with spinal cord injury (PSCI) who regularly participate in sports activities. Eighty-one male PSCI (21 persons with tetraplegia and 60 persons with paraplegia) who regularly participated in sports activities (wheelchair basketball or wheelchair twin basket-ball) were included in the present study. They were evaluated in terms of their characteristics, sports activity status, independence in ADL (Spinal Cord Independence Measure [SCIM]), and HRQOL (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 [SF-36]). The age was a significant explanatory variable for physical functioning, role physical, and physical component summary (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the level of residual function was a significant explanatory vari-able for general health, vitality, mental health, and mental component summary (P < 0.05). The physical aspects of HRQOL of PSCI who regularly participate in sports activities were mainly affected by age, whereas the mental aspects were affected by the level of residual function.