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Sense of coherence and changes over six years among older adults aging with long-term spinal cord injury

Jörgensen, Sophie LU ; Lennman, Elsa and Lexell, Jan LU (2021) In Spinal Cord 59(12). p.1278-1284
Abstract

Study design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal. Objectives: To (i) describe sense of coherence (SOC) and changes over six years in older adults aging with long-term spinal cord injury (SCI) and (ii) investigate how changes in SOC are associated with injury characteristics and changes in sociodemographics and secondary health conditions (SHCs; bowel-related and bladder-related problems, pain and spasticity). Setting: Community in Southern Sweden. Methods: From the initial 123 participants in the Swedish Aging with Spinal Cord Injury Study (SASCIS), 76 individuals (33% women, median age 66 years, median time since injury 30 years, AIS A-D, 30% complete) responded to the 13-item SOC scale (range 13–91) twice with a 6-year interval. Data... (More)

Study design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal. Objectives: To (i) describe sense of coherence (SOC) and changes over six years in older adults aging with long-term spinal cord injury (SCI) and (ii) investigate how changes in SOC are associated with injury characteristics and changes in sociodemographics and secondary health conditions (SHCs; bowel-related and bladder-related problems, pain and spasticity). Setting: Community in Southern Sweden. Methods: From the initial 123 participants in the Swedish Aging with Spinal Cord Injury Study (SASCIS), 76 individuals (33% women, median age 66 years, median time since injury 30 years, AIS A-D, 30% complete) responded to the 13-item SOC scale (range 13–91) twice with a 6-year interval. Data were analyzed with multivariable hierarchical regression. Results: The participants rated a strong SOC at both assessments (median 73 and 76.5, respectively) which significantly increased over time. Overall, their marital status and vocational situation remained stable whereas SHCs increased. A change from not having a partner to having one was the only significant explanatory factor for a positive change in SOC. Conclusions: The present study describes, for the first time, changes in SOC over time and associated factors in older adults aging with long-term SCI. They generally maintain a strong ability to understand, handle, and being motivated when dealing with stressful events arising in their lives as a result of their SCI. The associations emphasize the importance of the social context for successful adaptation to living with SCI along the aging process.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Spinal Cord
volume
59
issue
12
pages
1278 - 1284
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85116355857
  • pmid:34593987
ISSN
1362-4393
DOI
10.1038/s41393-021-00713-6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Spinal Cord Society.
id
77c80fb4-71da-483c-a39a-33afe56e8d5f
date added to LUP
2021-10-25 15:33:34
date last changed
2024-06-15 19:08:06
@article{77c80fb4-71da-483c-a39a-33afe56e8d5f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Study design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal. Objectives: To (i) describe sense of coherence (SOC) and changes over six years in older adults aging with long-term spinal cord injury (SCI) and (ii) investigate how changes in SOC are associated with injury characteristics and changes in sociodemographics and secondary health conditions (SHCs; bowel-related and bladder-related problems, pain and spasticity). Setting: Community in Southern Sweden. Methods: From the initial 123 participants in the Swedish Aging with Spinal Cord Injury Study (SASCIS), 76 individuals (33% women, median age 66 years, median time since injury 30 years, AIS A-D, 30% complete) responded to the 13-item SOC scale (range 13–91) twice with a 6-year interval. Data were analyzed with multivariable hierarchical regression. Results: The participants rated a strong SOC at both assessments (median 73 and 76.5, respectively) which significantly increased over time. Overall, their marital status and vocational situation remained stable whereas SHCs increased. A change from not having a partner to having one was the only significant explanatory factor for a positive change in SOC. Conclusions: The present study describes, for the first time, changes in SOC over time and associated factors in older adults aging with long-term SCI. They generally maintain a strong ability to understand, handle, and being motivated when dealing with stressful events arising in their lives as a result of their SCI. The associations emphasize the importance of the social context for successful adaptation to living with SCI along the aging process.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jörgensen, Sophie and Lennman, Elsa and Lexell, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1362-4393}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1278--1284}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Spinal Cord}},
  title        = {{Sense of coherence and changes over six years among older adults aging with long-term spinal cord injury}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41393-021-00713-6}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41393-021-00713-6}},
  volume       = {{59}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}