Abstract
McColl MA, Charlifue S, Glass C, Lawson N, Savic G. Aging, gender, and spinal cord
injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:363–7.
Objective
To identify differences in the aging experiences of men and women with spinal cord
injury (SCI).
Design
This study is part of a longitudinal international study of aging and SCI.
Setting
Five centers in England, Canada, and the United States. Three were spinal cord rehabilitation
facilities (Stoke-Mandeville Hospital, Southport Hospital, Craig Hospital) and 2 were
community agencies (Ontario and Manitoba divisions of the Canadian Paraplegic Association).
Participants
A matched sample of 67 men and 67 women with SCI for at least 20 years. The 2 groups
were matched on age, country of origin, and duration of disability. Participants had
an average age of 57 years and an average disability duration of almost 33 years.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main outcome measures
Two measures were taken by interview: demographic form and current status interview.
Five others were self-administered and returned by mail: the Perceived Stress Scale,
Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique, Index of Psychological Well-Being,
Current Problem Questionnaire, and Life Satisfaction Index.
Results
Although both sexes rated their quality of life about equally, women characterized
their aging experience as “accelerated,” while men characterized it as “complicated.”
Women reported more effects of pain, fatigue, and skin problems and more transportation
problems. Men experienced more health problems, more diabetes, and more adaptive equipment
changes. Older men and women with SCI spent their time differently, consistent with
traditional gender roles.
Conclusions
These results underline the need for gender-specific consideration of aging experiences
associated with SCI and further emphasize the need for primary and preventive care
to promote health and well-being as people with SCI survive into old age.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Archives of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Levels of plasma homocysteine in persons with spinal cord injury.J Spinal Cord Med. 2001; 24: 81-86
- Recent demographic and injury trends in people served by the Model Spinal Cord Injury Care Systems.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999; 80: 1372-1382
- Breast and cervical cancer screening among women with physical disabilities.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1997; 78: S39-S44
- Quality of life issues among women with physical disabilities or breast cancer.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1997; 78: S18-S25
- Sexuality and women with complete spinal cord injury.Spinal Cord. 1997; 35: 136-138
- Suicide in a spinal cord injured population.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1998; 79: 1356-1361
- Depression after spinal cord injury.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2000; 81: 1099-1109
- A comparison of women and men with spinal cord injury.Spinal Cord. 1998; 36: 337-339
- Colorectal function in patients with spinal cord lesions.Dis Colon Rectum. 1997; 40: 1233-1239
- Urological status of 74 spinal cord injury patients from the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, and managed for over 20 years using the Crede maneuver.Spinal Cord. 2000; 38: 552-554
- Compliance with bladder management in spinal cord injury patients.Spinal Cord. 2000; 38: 762-765
- Comparison of long-term renal function after spinal cord injury using different urinary management methods.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1997; 78: 992-997
- Regional osteoporosis in women who have a complete spinal cord injury.J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2001; 83: 1195-1200
- Body composition of spinal cord injured adults.Sports Med. 1997; 23: 48-60
- Epidemiology of extraspinal fractures associated with acute spinal cord injury.Spinal Cord. 2001; 39: 589-594
- Metabolic and endocrine changes in person aging with a spinal cord injury.Assist Technol. 1999; 11: 88-96
- Employment after spinal cord injury.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999; 80: 1492-1500
- Disability, chronic illness and risk selection.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001; 82: 546-552
- Primary care for persons with disabilities. An overview of the problem.Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1997; 76: S2-S8
- Secondary conditions and women with physical disabilities.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2000; 81: 1380-1387
- Women with spinal cord injury and the impact of aging.Spinal Cord. 2002; 40: 376-383
- Epidemiology of incident spinal fracture in a complete population.Spine. 1996; 21: 492-499
- International differences in aging and spinal cord injury.Spinal Cord. 2002; 40: 128-136
- Social support and aging with a spinal cord injury.Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil. 2001; 6: 83-101
- Aging, spinal cord injury, and quality of life.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2003; 84: 1137-1144
- A global measure of perceived stress.J Health Soc Behav. 1983; 24: 385-396
- The measurement of life satisfaction.J Gerontol. 1961; 16: 134-143
- Quantifying handicap.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1992; 73: 519-526
- Long-term adjustment to physical disability.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1985; 48: 1162-1172
- Concurrent and long-term prediction of self-reported problems following spinal cord injury.Paraplegia. 1990; 28: 186-202
- Spinal cord injury and partner relationships.Spinal Cord. 2000; 38: 2-6
- Shoulder pain in wheelchair users with tetraplegia and paraplegia.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999; 80: 453-457
- Employment after spinal cord injury.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1996; 77: 737-743
- Predicting community reintegration after spinal cord injury from demographic and injury characteristics.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999; 80: 1485-1491
- Risk factors for osteoporosis.Medscape Women’s Health. 2000; 5: E1
- The relationship between neurological level of injury and symptomatic cardiovascular disease risk in aging spinal cord.Spinal Cord. 2001; 39: 310-317
- Quality of life and traumatic spinal cord injury.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999; 79: 1433-1439
- Chronic pain.Geriatrics. 2000; 55: 40-47
- A house of cards.Spinal Cord. 2002; 40: 371-373
Article info
Footnotes
☆Supported by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Craig Hospital, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and Southport Hospital.
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
