uk prevalence of mental health after sci

Conditions: Spinal Cord Injuries; Anxiety Disorders; Depression; PTSD; Pain

Summary: mental health decline after spinal cord injury (sci) is commonly reported but minimally investigated in the united kingdom. the current study aims to explore the prevalence and impact of mental health challenges after sci to establish population norms in the uk. additionally the current study will aim to identify barriers to and facilitators of mental health support seeking in people with sci.

a four-phase mixed methods research study will be undertaken. phase one will be a cross-sectional online survey designed to determine the prevalence of mental health conditions in adults with sci in the uk assessing resilience, anxiety, depression, pain, life satisfaction, ptsd and coping self-efficacy. phase two will consist of in-depth semi-structured online interviews conducted with approximately twenty people with spinal cord injury who, in the first study, indicated either that the participants had accessed, or had wanted to access mental health services. the two-part interview schedule will be undertaken, covering: 1) core themes surrounding the causes of, changes in, and management of mental health after sci; and 2) questions relating to participant hopes for and experiences of satisfaction with, access to and efficacy of mental health services, in the context of the mental health service providers which participants currently use or have attempted to access. phase three will consist of in-depth semi-structured online interviews held with approximately twenty 'significant others' (partner/family/friend) of people with spinal cord injury whose family member/partner/friend experience mental health problems. the interview schedule will cover two core themes surrounding: 1) perceptions of the causes and impact of mental health difficulties after sci on 'significant others'; 2) their experiences of current mental health services provided for participants' partner/family/friend and perceived recommendations and hopes for better management of mental health in participants' family member/partner. phase four will recruit twenty-five people with high resilience (\>30 on the cd-risc-10) to participate in an in-depth semi-structured online interview. this will review participants' thoughts and perceptions about resilience and how it is possible to maintain a high level of resilience whilst living with spinal cord injury.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: phases 1 and 2 (survey and sci interviews) * adults with spinal cord injury * adults with cauda equina syndrome exclusion criteria: * difficulty with written or verbal english language comprehension inclusion criteria: phase 3 - partner, spouse, family member or carer of a person with spinal cord injury exclusion criteria: - difficulty with verbal english language comprehension inclusion criteria: phase 4 - adults with spinal cord injury who screen as having resilience higher than 30 on the connor-davidson resilience scale (cdrs-10). exclusion criteria: phase 4 * adults with spinal cord injury with resilience lower than 30 * adults with spinal cord injury who choose not to complete the cdrs-10.

Keywords: resilience mental health adjustment chronic pain