Peer mentoring reduces unplanned readmissions and improves self-efficacy following inpatient rehabilitation for individuals with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate effectiveness of peer interventions on self-efficacy, unplanned hospital readmissions, and quality of life for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. DESIGN: Interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA) examined effects of peer interventions on unplanned readmissions. Intervention variables added to ITSA regression examined relationships with exposure to peer interventions. Heterogeneity of treatment effects (HTE) analysis examined differences in intervention effectiveness for patients with quadriplegia and paraplegia. SETTING: Rehabilitation hospital specializing in SCI and brain injury. PARTICIPANTS: SCI inpatients (n = 1117) admitted for rehabilitation whose discharge location was home (77% male, 71% Caucasian, mean age 38.2 (SD 16.8)). A subsample of 799 patients participated in secondary analyses examining relationship between peer interventions, readmissions, changes in patient-reported outcomes, and HTE. INTERVENTIONS: One-to-one mentoring and participation in peer-led self-management classes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Unplanned readmissions, general self-efficacy (GSE), and depressive symptoms 30, 90, and 180 days post discharge; satisfaction with life at 180 days. RESULTS: After implementing the peer interventions, we observed a significant decrease in both level and slope of number of patients readmitted, and level only of unplanned hospital days 30-days post-discharge. Reduction in the number of patients and unplanned hospital days was associated with number of peer visits but not peer-led education classes attended. Higher self-efficacy (GSE) was associated with greater exposure to peer mentoring, and a significant relationship between improvement in GSE and reduced hospital readmissions was observed. CONCLUSIONS: One-to-one peer mentoring improves self-efficacy and reduces unplanned hospital readmissions following inpatient rehabilitation for persons with SCI.