SCIORG Newsletter A newsletter of research activities and implications for participants of SCI Outcomes Research FALL 2010 SPINAL CORD INJURY OUTCOMES RESEARCH GROUP (SCIORG)
Factors Related to Return to Employment Post-injury Return to employment is an important milestone after a spinal cord injury. We recently completed a study looking at factors related to the time between injury and first job after injury. In this study, 52% of participants had worked at some time since their SCI. The average time between injury and the first job was 3.9 years. 75% of participants who returned to work had done so by 5 years post-injury, and 93% had done so by 10 years postinjury. Education was significantly associated with time to first job post-injury. Compared with persons who had not completed high school, persons with at least a high school certificate or associates’ degree averaged 1.5 years less to the first job, and those with a bachelor’s degree or higher averaged 3.0 less years to first job.
Inside this issue:
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Research Spotlight
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Team Websites
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Ongoing Research Updates
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Consumer Advisory Panel
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Return to pre-injury employer was also important in the time to first job postinjury. Persons who returned to their pre-injury employer averaged 5.0 years
We also looked at factors related to the time between injury and first full-time job after injury. In this study, 38% of participants had worked full-time at some time since their SCI. The average time between injury and the first job was 4.3 years. 71% of participants who returned to a full-time job had done so by 5 years post-injury, and 91% had done so by 10 years post-injury. The same factors related to time to first job post-injury were also related to time to first full-time job post-injury. Compared with participants who had not completed high school, participants with a bachelor’s degree or more averaged 2.8 less years to first full-time job. These results stress the importance of education in returning to work after an SCI. In addition, those persons who were able to return to their pre-injury employer were able to more quickly return to work. Reference: Krause, J.S., Terza, J.V., Saunders, L.L., Dismuke, C.E. (2010). Spinal Cord, 48: 487-491.
We b s i te a n d F a c e b ook Pa g e s t o C h e c kou t SCIORG website: http://www.musc.edu/ chp/sciorg/ CHORCUP website: http:// academicdepartments.musc.edu/chp/ CHORCUP/index.htm
Advocacy and Rehab: A Con- 3 versation with Bob Chubon
CHORCUP blog: www. sciandtbiresearch.blogspot.com
Publications and Presentations
Facebook us (CHORCUP): http:// www.facebook.com/pages/Spinal-Cord-
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less to time to work compared with those who went to a different company.
Injury-CHORCUP/115412575151534 RRTC Website: http:// academicdepartments.musc.edu/chp/rrtc/ index.htm RRTC blog: www.sciandtbiresearch.blogspot.com Facebook us (RRTC) : http:// www.facebook.com/pages/Spinal-Cord-InjuryRehabilitation-Research-and-Training-
SCIORG NEWSLETTER
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O n g o in g R e s e a rc h U p d ate s We are currently finishing up the data collection phase of Study 1: “Risk of Adverse Outcomes after SCI: A Longitudinal Study,” and Study 2: “A Longitudinal Study of Risk for Hospitalization, Pressure Ulcers, and Subsequent Injuries after Spinal Cord Injury.”
surveys from participants. In addition, we are also finishing up the data collection phase of the study, “Participation, Subjective Well -being, Health, and Spinal Cord Injury: A 35-year Longitudinal Study.”
You Tube Video Please check out our new You Tube video: "Research Byte, Vol 6: A Theoretical Risk Model for Mortality After Spinal Cord Injury"
This study is the longest running http://www.youtube.com/ study of its kind and will conThese studies will help rehawatch?v=seHyaJPxUco tinue to provide valuable inbilitation professionals better sight into the patterns of what is understand how SCI impacts occurring post-injury in the everyday life and will provide a areas of secondary conditions, basis for the development of health, and quality of life issues. more effective programs for To date we have received comparticipation and quality of life pleted surveys from over 1000 after SCI. To date we have participants. received over 2600 completed
S ave th e D ate - Tra u m a C e n te r C on f e re n c e
"Translating Evidence to Prevent Secondary Complications after Spinal Cord Injury," workshop * Saturday, October 2, 2010 * from 9:00-1:00 PM at MUSC in Charleston, SC
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As part of the RRTC grant, MUSC will be collaborating with the Shepherd Center to host three to five conferences around the state of South Carolina over the next two years. These half day workshops are geared toward trauma centers with the goal to educate clinicians on secondary conditions related to spinal cord injury. Workshops will take place in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville/Spartanburg, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The first workshop will be Saturday, October 2, 2010 at MUSC in Charleston, SC from 9:00-1:00 PM in the College of Health Professions Complex.
It will be titled, "Translating Evidence to Prevent Secondary Complications after Spinal Cord Injury," and will include speakers Dr. David Apple, MD, Dr. Deborah Backus, PT, PhD, and Joycelyn Craig, RN, BSN, CRRN, all from the Shepherd Center.
For additional information, please contact: Kathy Kreger at 404-350-7397, Shepherd Center
Three hours of CME/CEU hours will be awarded for participation in this conference. There is a fee of $25.00 that includes lunch and the CME/ CEU credit hours. Brochure and Registration forms are available upon request from the contact number below.
Dr. Jim Krause gave a presentation to MUSC Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy summer students, titled, "Secondary Conditions: Spinal Cord Injury." The entire presentation can be viewed at the link below.
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Presentation to Checkout!
http:// chpondemand.musc.edu/ chp_admin_int/ Dr_Krause_07_08_10.mp4
FALL 2010
5 6 Ye a r s of A dvoc a c y a n d R e h ab ! A C onve r s a ti on w ith D r. B ob C h u b on I dropped by Dr. Bob Chubon’s home recently to talk to him about his life experiences, success, and passions during the 56 years since his spinal cord injury. Bob expressed that like many people, life after his spinal cord injury has been full of challenges. The bottom line is “if you have to hang in there long enough, good things can happen. The key is that you have to take advantage of the opportunities when they arise.”
gram. Bob earned a PhD from Pitt in 1979. In 1980, Bob and his wife Sandra moved to Columbia, S.C., where he was an educator-researcher at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine for the next 21 years. Bob has written a wellknown text book for all rehab related professions entitled “The Social and Psychological Foundations of Rehabilitation,” and has authored dozens of peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Bob was quick to mention that Sandra, his wife of 45 In 1954, his senior year of high school, Bob had a years, has been a cornerstone in his life and the spinal cord injury as result of a trampoline accireason why he has been able to keep going. dent. Bob admits that given the mindset of society in the 1950’s he was sent home from the hospital As we discussed advocacy, Bob expressed that he to die; but his parents would not let him by tena- advocates by getting involved and interacting with ciously providing daily support. He was dethe people around him. It is true that he has been pressed, borderline suicidal at times and was not on the board of directors of non-profit organizaadjusting to life post injury. It seemed like his life tions, but “when a person sees him in his front was in neutral for several years until he was evalu- yard gardening, it is just as important to percepated at the St. Francis Medical Center’s Departtion of people with disabilities living their lives.” ment of Rehabilitation Medicine in Pittsburgh. With tremendous encouragement from his rehab Bob’s most current passion, as an author and playtherapists, Bob enrolled at the University of wright, has kept him busy in retirement. He’s Pittsburgh to continue his education. written numerous plays and short stories and is working on an Internet Web-based memoir. In Bob has dedicated his professional life to helping fact one of Bob’s plays won the Charlotte New others in the same way that he was helped, with Playwright Competition several years ago. I wish compassion and total commitment. Upon obtain- our conversation had been longer since we only ing his Master’s degree from Pitt in rehabilitation touched on many other fascinating topics from counseling, he worked with people with disabili- stem cell research to his experiences dealing with ties at St. Francis Medical Center. Within two SCI as he ages. Thanks Bob for being such an years, Bob became the administrator of the engaging person who brings a wealth of knowlDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, where he edge and experience to the table. used his experience to refine and expand the pro- ~ Richard Aust
Consumer Advisory Panel Provides Us Insight Our consumer advocate, Richard Aust, hosted a consumer advisory panel (CAP) meeting for our capacity building grant on Thursday, September 3. In the meeting, Mr. Aust gave an overview of the projects and asked attendees to evaluate our survey instrument for one of our two projects. CAP participants provided valuable feedback for our survey particularly in the following ar-
eas: *defining 'complete' recovery after a spinal cord injury *question on type of wheelchair used *defining options of retirement and reasons for retirement *more clearly defining times in employment gaps
Dr. Bob Chubon at his home
“If you have to hang in there long enough, good things can happen. The key is that you have to take advantage of the opportunities when they arise.” ~Dr. Bob Chubon For more info on Dr. Bob Chubon, checkout his website: http:// chubon.org/bob
*adding activity of daily living charts *adding skip patterns for alcohol and tobacco use *defining race and ethnicity more clearly Overall, the CAP participants were able to provide very useful assistance so our study survey can be finalized and the data collection can begin.
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DR. JAMES S. KRAUSE MUSC-College of Health Professions Department of Health Sciences and Research 77 President Street, Suite 117 MSC 700 Charleston SC 29425-7000 Toll-free number: 1-866-313-9963 Fax: 843-792-5649 E-mail: krause@musc.edu
Recent & Upcoming Presentations/Posters Saunders, L.L., & Krause, J.S. Psychological factors affecting alcohol use after spinal cord injury. Oral presentation at the annual conference of the National Association of Rehabilitation Research Training Centers, Alexandria, VA: May, 2010.
Saunders, L.L., Krause, J.S., Brotherton, S., Morrisette, D. Walking distance and spinal cord injury. Poster to be presented at the annual conference of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Las Vegas, NV: September, 2010.
Krause, J.S., & Saunders, L.L. Vocational interests after recent spinal cord injury: Comparisons related to gender and race. Poster presentation at the annual conference of the National Association of Rehabilitation Research Training Centers, Alexandria, VA: May, 2010.
Krause, J.S., Reed, K.S., & McArdle, J.J. Natural course of depressive symptoms after spinal cord injury. Oral presentation to be presented at the annual conference of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Las Vegas, NV: September, 2010.
Saunders, L.L., Krause, J.S., Peters, B., & Reed, K.S. The relationship of pressure ulcers, race, and socioeconomic conditions after spinal cord injury. Poster at the annual conference of the American Spinal Injury Association, Nashville, TN: May, 2010.
Krause, J.S., Saunders, L.L., & Newman, S. Posttraumatic stress disorder after spinal cord injury. Oral presentation to be presented at the annual conference of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Las Vegas, NV: September, 2010.
Saunders, L.L., & Krause, J.S. Psychological factors afKrause, J.S., Saunders, L.L., & DeVivo, M.D. Economic fecting alcohol use after spinal cord injury. Poster to be presented at the annual conference of the American Public factors and risk of mortality after spinal cord injury. Oral presentation at the annual conference of the Health Association, Denver, CO: November, 2010. American Spinal Injury Association, Nashville, TN: May, 2010.