“What should a rehabilitation hospital be like?” Priorities and expectations of people with spinal cord injury in Türkiye

Study design

Survey study

Objectives

To understand the priorities and expectations of individuals with disabilities caused by spinal cord injuries(SCI) who require long-term inpatient rehabilitation at a rehabilitation hospital.

Setting

Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, İstanbul, Türkiye

Methods

This cross-sectional clinical study included individuals over the age of 18 with SCI who had previously been hospitalized in a rehabilitation hospital. The 18-question survey, titled “What should a rehabilitation hospital be like according to persons with spinal cord injuries?” was administered to individuals hospitalized in the inpatient service of Çam Sakura City Hospital. It was also disseminated to people with SCI through social media. The participants’ demographic data was recorded.

Results

The survey was completed by 120 participants, comprising 70 males and 50 females. The mean age was 37.47 ± 11.63 years. The time since the SCI was less than one year for 20 individuals and more than one year for 100 individuals. The results showed that robotic rehabilitation and psychological support were the most requested rehabilitation domains, while interest in sexual rehabilitation was less than that in other rehabilitation domains. Furthermore, in the correlation analysis, elderly participants indicated that there should be more specialized services and outpatient clinics exclusive to the SCI.

Conclusions

The study revealed a striking trend – participants expressed a strong desire for SCI-specific rehabilitation units and robotic rehabilitation. Additionally, the significance and necessity of sexual rehabilitation should be conveyed to people with SCI.