04 | Health Behaviour

Health maintenance is considered a key outcome in the long-term care of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). An person's health behaviour plays a major role in maintaining his or her health. Such behaviour encompasses a range of strategies that can be undertaken by the person and supported by the rehabilitation team. A key strategy toward health maintenance is the prevention of adverse events and comorbidities.1 2

During my first rehabilitation following the onset of spinal cord injury (SCI), I shared a room with a person who was suffering from pressure ulcers (PUs). Seeing her suffer, I promised myself that I would not allow that to happen to me. But just three months after I returned home, I acquired my first ulcer. And now two years later I’m back here again with my second ulcer.

Monica, January 2007

In the assessment phase of the Rehab-Cycle^®, Monica’s perspective was considered important and complimentary to the perspective of her rehabilitation team.

In consideration of the assessment phase results, the goals for Monica's current Rehab-Cycle^® were determined by the rehabilitation team, and documented on the ICF Categorical Profile. See table 1.

Assignment

Monica’s rehabilitation team consisted of her physician, nurse, a physical and an occupational therapist and a psychologist. Each team member was assigned to attend to specific intervention targets.

Against medical advice and at Monica's insistence she was discharged pre-maturely. Consequently, the (re-)evaluation of her health status took place only five weeks after starting intervention.

Health maintenance is a critical factor that contributes to the quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). While rehabilitation professionals can do much to influence a person’s health maintenance efforts through interventions such as routine clinical monitoring, the person's own health behaviour is equally important, if not more.

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