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Gale Whiteneck, PhD, Craig Hospital, 3425 S. Clarkson Street, Englewood, CO 80110, (303) 789-8204, gale@craig-hospital.org
Over the last few decades, improvements in quality of care after spinal cord injury (SCI) have led to greater life expectancy. Furthermore, life satisfaction research generally supports the view that the quality of that extended life is also good. But little is known about perceived quality of life in the latter years after SCI, in the years preceding death. This study was designed to compare life satisfaction in the last five years of life with earlier periods of time among people with SCI. A collaborative, prospective, longitudinal database was used to track quality of life over time. A total of 803 National SCI Database participants from 5 SCI Model Systems were interviewed regarding the aging process for the first time between 1990 and 1995. They were then re-interviewed 5 and 10 years later. However, 114 of the study group are known to have expired during the study. Data collected at various time periods before death were analyzed. Significant differences were found on a four-point quality of life rating, with lower quality of life ratings nearer death. However, the differences were not substantial (3.01 for those not dying in 10 years, 2.90 for those dying in 5-10 years, and 2.76 for those dying in less than 5 years). The study concludes that while some drop in quality of life occurs, relatively high quality of life is maintained in the last five years before death.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to
Keywords: Quality of Life, Disability
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
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Recorded presentation