| Autor: |
Yu, Nami S., Pomeranz, Jamie L., Moorhouse, Michael D., Shaw, Linda R., Deutsch, Paul M. |
| Zdroj: |
Journal of Life Care Planning; 2008, Vol. 7 Issue 1, p3-11, 9p |
| Abstrakt: |
Individuals who sustain a spinal cord injury (SCI) are often faced with numerous challenges with physical functioning. These challenges or limitations often inhibit individuals with an SCI from completing everyday tasks such as activities of daily living (ADL). One ADL in particular that poses a significant challenge for many individuals with SCI is bowel management. Although many individuals with SCI are able to manage their bowel programs independently, the time associated with bowel management can often be more extensive than for an individual without a SCI. Several research studies have explored techniques, frequency and duration of bowel management programs; however, a limited amount of literature was found that addresses the actual time associated with completing an entire bowel program for an individual with SCI. The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify key variables for consideration when trying to predict the amount of time required for individuals with SCI to complete a bowel program. Data on 41 people with SCI were collected and analyzed from an experienced life care planner's database. Of the 41 individuals with SCI, 78% were male and the age range was 8-75 years with a mean of 38 and standard deviation of 18.08. Individuals with paraplegia and tetraplegia were both recruited in order to ensure that variability in the ability to perform bowel care independently associated with level of spinal cord injury was captured in the study. According to the results of this study, the average time participants required to complete a bowel care program was 92.12±38.76 minutes. This study provided empirical evidence of the extended amount of time associated with performing a bowel regimen. Loss of such valuable time may result in decreased ability to be involved in other crucial life activities such as vocational, educational, and/or leisure activities. Time loss associated with ADL independence could be accounted for by life care planners experienced in understanding impact of disability. This study could serve as a starting point for researching this new area of damages, providing the empirical support for life care planners to incorporate this significant area of loss within their life care plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
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