The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals living with spinal cord injury: A qualitative study.
Sherri L LaVela, Justina Wu, Andrea L Nevedal and 6 others
PMID 36395055WHAT IT FOUND
Veterans with spinal cord injury reported losing routine care, physical activity, and social contact during the pandemic.
They cited closed facilities, lack of home help, and fear of exposure as barriers, while finding telehealth convenient for some services.
Key findings
01Participants reported missing primary care, annual evaluations, and physical therapy due to facility restrictions or personal fear of virus exposure.
02Physical activity declined because gyms and pools closed, group events were cancelled, and caregivers were unavailable to assist with range-of-motion or exercise.
03Social isolation increased as participants could not visit family, attend church, or meet peers, leading to feelings of loss of motivation and worry.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample consisted only of English-speaking veterans receiving care through the Veterans Health Administration, which may have better access to services than civilians or non-veterans. Two-thirds of those invited did not participate, and the small sample size limits the transferability of findings to the broader spinal cord injury population. The study relied on self-reported experiences during the pandemic, which may be subject to recall bias. There was no control group of individuals without spinal cord injury for direct comparison.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest or commercial interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that telehealth is a sufficient replacement for all rehabilitation services. While some participants appreciated the convenience of telephone or video appointments for routine check-ins, many reported that physical therapy and hands-on care were unavailable or ineffective remotely, leading to functional decline.