Your browser doesn't support javascript.
COVID-19 and spinal cord injury and disease: results of an international survey as the pandemic progresses.
Gustafson, Kristin; Stillman, Michael; Capron, Maclain; O'Connell, Colleen; Longoni Di Giusto, Melina; Tyagi, Nishu; Scivoletto, Giorgio.
  • Gustafson K; Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Kristin.Gustafson@jefferson.edu.
  • Stillman M; Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
  • Capron M; Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
  • O'Connell C; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dalhousie University, Fredericton, NB, Canada.
  • Longoni Di Giusto M; Direccion de Discapacidad de Ituzaingo Secretaria de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  • Tyagi N; Department of Telerehabilitation Services, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Delhi, India.
  • Scivoletto G; Spinal Unit and Spinal Rehabilitation (SpiRe) Lab, IRCCS Fondazione S. Lucia, Rome, Italy.
Spinal Cord Ser Cases ; 7(1): 13, 2021 02 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1081887
ABSTRACT
STUDY

DESIGN:

An online survey.

OBJECTIVES:

To follow-up with and re-query the international spinal cord community's response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by revisiting questions posed in a previous survey and investigating new lines of inquiry.

SETTING:

An international collaboration of authors and participants.

METHODS:

Two identical surveys (one in English and one in Spanish) were distributed via the internet. Responses from both surveys were pooled and analyzed for demographic and response data.

RESULTS:

Three hundred and sixty-six respondents were gathered from multiple continents and regions. The majority (63.1%) were rehabilitation physicians and only 12.1% had patients with spinal cord injury/disease (SCI/D) that they knew had COVID-19. Participants reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had caused limited access to clinician and support services and worsening medical complications. Nearly 40% of inpatient clinicians reported that "some or all" of their facilities' beds were being used by medical and surgical patients, rather than by individuals requiring inpatient rehabilitation. Respondents reported a 25.1% increase in use of telemedicine during the pandemic (35% used it before; 60.1% during), though over 60% felt the technology incompletely met their patients' needs.

CONCLUSION:

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the ability of individuals with SCI/D to obtain their "usual level of care." Moving forward into a potential "second wave" of COVID-19, patient advocacy and efforts to secure access to thorough and accessible care are essential.
Subject(s)

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Spinal Cord Injuries / Attitude of Health Personnel / Health Personnel / Telemedicine / Neurological Rehabilitation / COVID-19 / Health Services Accessibility Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Language: English Journal: Spinal Cord Ser Cases Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S41394-020-00356-4

Similar

MEDLINE

...
LILACS

LIS


Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Spinal Cord Injuries / Attitude of Health Personnel / Health Personnel / Telemedicine / Neurological Rehabilitation / COVID-19 / Health Services Accessibility Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Language: English Journal: Spinal Cord Ser Cases Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S41394-020-00356-4