Preventive Health Care Among Community-Dwelling Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Available online 9 January 2013
Publication year: 2013
Source:PM&R



Objective To describe preventive health examinations/tests and behaviors of persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Survey. Setting SCI clinic and telephone contact. Participants A total of 59 persons ≥18 years of age with traumatic SCI. Intervention None. Main Outcome Measures Preventive health examinations/tests and reason for not receiving an examination or test. Results Preventive health tests/examinations received within the past year: flu vaccination (40.7%); eye examination (50.8%); dental check-up (64.4%); physical examination (61.0%); vitamin D level (56.0%); cholesterol level (25.4%); and blood glucose level (39.0%). For men, 20.0% had a prostate examination and 20.0% had a colonoscopy. For women, 25.0% had a pelvic examination and 62.5% had a mammogram in the past 2 years. The most endorsed reasons for not getting an examination/test was “It was my choice” followed by “No one told me to have [examination/test].” The number of years injured had an inverse relationship with having vitamin D level checked (r = −334) and had a positive association with having serum cholesterol level checked (r = .474). Conclusion Preventive health tests and examinations in the SCI population are being obtained at about the same rate as in the U.S. population with some exceptions (ie, cholesterol level check, colonoscopy, and pelvic examination); however, the rates are far from the goals of Healthy People 2020. Primary care and SCI clinicians should be proactive in educating their patients about the importance of preventative health, especially those who have been injured for a long time.

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