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Quality of life and self-esteem of persons with paraplegia living in São Paulo, Brazil

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) and self-esteem of paraplegic persons.

Methods

The sample consisted of 60 outpatients with traumatic paraplegia living in São Paulo, Brazil, from whom clinical and demographic data were obtained. QoL was assessed by the 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) health survey questionnaire, and self-esteem was measured by Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem (RSE) scale. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t-test, analysis of variance and Fisher’s least significant difference (LSD) test at a significance level of 5%.

Results

Participants were predominately men (86.7%) with a mean age of 32.9 (standard deviation [SD] = 9.47) years, low education level and low income. The SF-36 dimensions that received the lowest scores were physical functioning, role physical and role emotional. Cronbach’s alpha for the SF-36 questionnaire was 0.80. A significant statistical difference was found between the presence of pressure ulcers and low scores on mental health (P = 0.001), as determined by Student’s t-test. The mean self-esteem score was 8.35 and there was a significant statistical difference between low self-esteem scores and occupation (P = 0.008).

Conclusion

Participants reported low QoL and self-esteem. The results provide background information that may be useful in the development of strategies to reduce the impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the life and health of persons with SCI, improving their QoL.

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Abbreviations

ADD:

Sports Association for the Disabled (SP, Brazil)

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

QoL:

Quality of life

RSE scale:

Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem scale

SCI:

Spinal cord injury

SD:

Standard deviation

SF-36:

Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey

UNIFESP:

Federal University of São Paulo (SP, Brazil)

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Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the Brazilian Foundation for the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for the financial support for this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plastic Surgery, Federal University of São Paulo—UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros 715, 4. andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, 04023-062, SP, Brazil

    Leila Blanes & Lydia M. Ferreira

  2. Department of Nursing, Federal University of São Paulo—UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil

    Maria Isabel S. Carmagnani

Authors
  1. Leila Blanes
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  2. Maria Isabel S. Carmagnani
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  3. Lydia M. Ferreira
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Correspondence to Leila Blanes.

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Blanes, L., Carmagnani, M.I.S. & Ferreira, L.M. Quality of life and self-esteem of persons with paraplegia living in São Paulo, Brazil. Qual Life Res 18, 15–21 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-008-9411-9

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