Depression, Social Support, and Coping Strategies in Individuals with Spinal Injury Depression with Spinal Injury Patients

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with depression, the social support received by, and the coping strategies used by individuals with spinal injury. Materials and Methods: Individuals with spinal injury who received follow-up evaluation at the Siriraj Hospital during 2016 to 2018. The instruments used included a general information, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (Thai version), the Social Provisions Scale, and the Spinal Cord Lesion-Related Coping Strategies Questionnaire (Thai version). Results: Eighty-six individuals with spinal injury (age: 43.1±15.7 years, 66.3% male) were included, and 59.3% had some level of permanent impairment. The prevalence of depression was 55.8%. Depression was found to be negatively associated with all social support domains. Regarding coping, depression was shown to be negatively associated with the fighting spirit, but positively associated with the social reliance strategy. Multivariate analysis by multiple logistic regression showed level of impairment (p=0.005), guidance provision (p=0.040), fighting spirit strategy (p=0.031), and the social reliance strategy (p=0.032) to be independently associated with depression. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression among SCI was 55.8%. The results revealed the types of social support received, and the coping strategies used by individuals with spinal injury after hospital discharge. These findings can be implemented in an intervention to reduce depression among the individuals with spinal injury such as the promotion of the guidance provision which is provided by the professionals and the arrangement of a counseling psychology workshop focusing on effective coping strategy, especially for individuals with paraplegia and tetraplegia.