Caregiver burden according to ageing and type of care activity in caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To describe caregiver burden according to the caregivers' general characteristics, especially with ageing, and type of care activities provided by caregivers of individuals with spinal cord injury. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing a structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, health conditions, and caregiver burden. SETTING: A single center study in Seoul, Korea. SUBJECTS: Participants were recruited from 87 individuals with spinal cord injuries and 87 caregivers. METHODS: The Caregiver Burden Inventory was used to assess caregiver burden. RESULTS: Caregiver burden was significantly different by age (p = 0.001), relationship (p = 0.025), sleep hours (p = <0.001), underlying disease (p = 0.018), pain (p = <0.001), and daily activities of individuals with spinal cord injury (p = 0.001). Caregiver's age (B = 0.339, p = 0.049), sleep duration (B = -2.896, p = 0.012) and pain (B = 2.558, p < 0.001) predicted caregiver burden. Toileting assistance was the most challenging and time-consuming for caregivers, while patient transfer was associated with the greatest concerns for body injury. CONCLUSION: Caregiver education should be targeted according to caregiver's age and type of assistance. Social policies need to be developed to distribute devices and care-robots to reduce caregiver burden and thereby assist caregivers.

Sacral interface pressure can be alleviated by repositioning with a small-angle change using an automated bed in patients with spinal cord injury.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to compare interface pressure and total contact area of the sacral region in different positions, including small-angle changes, in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Furthermore, we analyzed the clinical factors influencing pressure to identify the pressure injury (PI) high-risk group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An intervention was conducted for patients with paraplegia (n = 30) with SCI. In the first and second trials, interface pressure and total contact area of the sacral region were recorded from large- and small-angled positions using the automatic repositioning bed, which can change the angle of the back, lateral tilt, and knee. RESULTS: Positions with back raised ≥45° showed significantly higher pressure on the sacrum than most other positions. The pressure and contact area differences were statistically insignificant for combinations of small-angled changes <30°. Additionally, the duration of injury (ß = 0.51, p = 0.010) and neurological level of injury (NLI) (ß = -0.47, p = 0.020) were significant independent predictors of average pressure. Similarly, the duration of injury (ß = 0.64, p = 0.001), the Korean version of the spinal cord independence measure-III (ß = -0.52, p = 0.017), and body mass index (BMI; ß = -0.34, p = 0.041) were significant independent predictors of peak pressure. CONCLUSIONS: For repositioning, combinations of small-angle changes <30° effectively reduce pressure on the sacral region in patients with SCI. Lower BMI, longer duration of injury, lower functioning score, and NLI ≥ T7 are predictors of high sacral pressures, which increase the risk for PI. Therefore, patients with these predictors require strict management.

Development and Validation of a Sexual-Outlook Questionnaire (SOQ) for Adult Populations in the Republic of Korea.

A Sexual Outlook Questionnaire (SOQ) that can apply to a wide range of Korean populations, including disabled people, was necessary for comprehensive research on improving clinical practice of sexual education and developing sex-related intervention programs. We developed the SOQ and tested its validity with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and multi-trait/-item matrix analyses. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's α coefficient for item total correlations. We studied a total of 334 married or previously married adults with no cognitive impairment in the community settings. The eleven survey items were included in the final SOQ. Three factors were found: The first, "personal benefit", was devoted to the impact of one's sexual life and included four questions about the health-promoting effects and their recognition of healthiness, youth, and vitality as benefits of their sexual life. The second, "relational value", included four questions about sex as an expression of love and means of communication, and its effect on the improvement of their relationship with their spouse (partner). The third, "sexual endeavor", included three questions about the handling of sex-related problems, consulting with an expert, and sexual education. The questionnaire can briefly measure the sexual outlook of any married or previously married adult, regardless of disability.