Relationship of therapeutic recreation inpatient rehabilitation interventions and patient characteristics to outcomes following spinal cord injury: the SCIRehab project.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations of therapeutic recreation (TR) interventions during inpatient rehabilitation for patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) with functional, participation, and quality of life outcomes.

METHODS: In this prospective observational study, data were obtained from systematic recording of TR services by certified TR specialists, chart review, and patient interview.

RESULTS: TR interventions, including exposure to community settings and leisure activities, add to the variance explained (in addition to the strong predictors of injury classification, admission motor Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and other patient characteristics) in outcomes at the time of rehabilitation discharge (FIM, discharge to home) and at the 1-year injury anniversary (FIM, working or being in school, residing at home, and societal participation as measured by the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART)). They also are associated with less rehospitalization and less pressure development after discharge. In addition, more time spent in specific TR activities during rehabilitation is associated with more participation in the same type of activities at the 1-year injury anniversary.

CONCLUSION(S): Greater participation in TR-led leisure skill and community activities during rehabilitation is a positive predictor of multiple outcomes at rehabilitation discharge and the 1-year injury anniversary demonstrating that TR activities are associated with a return to a productive and healthy life after SCI. Further research should focus on the impact of TR on longer-term outcomes to determine whether relationships continue or change as persons continue to adapt to their life after SCI. Note: This is the fourth of nine articles in the SCIRehab series.