Of the 44 persons who fully completed the study, 23 were workshop participants and 21 were members of the control group. All of these 44 participants had sustained a spinal cord injury at the C-5 level or below. Neurologically, the sample was categorized as 64% complete injuries (no motor or sensory function) and 36% incomplete (partial motor and/or sensory function), with 20% incomplete paraplegic (both legs involved), 34% complete paraplegic, 16% incomplete tetraplegic (four limbs involved) and 30% complete tetraplegic. Seventy-four percent of the workshop group had complete injuries, compared with 52% with complete injuries in the control group. Twenty percent of the total group was ambulatory; i.e., they did not use a wheelchair and walked either with or without the use of aids such as canes or crutches. The average number of years since injury for the total group was reported at 13.9, with 12.7 years for the workshop group and 15.1 years for the control group. Overall the number of years since injury for the total group ranged from 1 to 49 years. Of the total group, 68% (30) were male with 32% (14) female. Most were Caucasian (93%), while 7% were African-American. The median age of the sample was 46.5 years, ranging between 22 and 80. Twenty-seven percent were single, 55% married, and 18% divorced. Forty percent of the sample reported having at least some college education; 26% were college graduates, 12% with post-graduate degrees. The workshop group was significantly more educated, with a larger number of college graduates (11) than the control group (5). Twenty-seven percent of the total group were employed full time; 11% worked part time. Thirty percent were not employed. Twenty-five percent were retired; and 7% were students. There was a significant difference between the workshop and control group in employment status. The workshop group had more unemployed persons, whereas the control group had more retired persons. (See Table 1 below.)
TABLE 1. Sample Description at Baseline Intervention (Workshop)
| Intervention (Workshop) |
Control | Total | |
| Number of participants Men Women |
23 14 (61%) 9 (39%) |
21 16 (76%) 5 (24%) |
44 30 (68%) 14 (32%) |
| Race Caucasian African American |
21 (91%) 2 (9%) |
20 (95%) 1 (5%) |
41(93%) 3 (7%) |
| Age Mean Median Range |
44 45 23-74 |
50 48 22-80 |
47 47 22-80 |
| Marital Status Single Married Divorced |
7 (30%) 10 (43%) 6 (26%) |
5 (24%) 14 (67%) 2 (10%) |
12 (27%) 24 (55%) 8 (18%) |
| Employment Status* Full time Part time Not employed Retired Student |
5 (22%) 4 (17%) 9 (39%) 2 ( 9%) 3 (13%) |
7 (33%) 1 (5%) 4 (19%) 9 (43%) 0 ( 0%) |
12 (27%) 5 (11%) 13 (29%) 11(25%) 3 ( 7%) |
| Educational Level* HS/HS Graduate Some College College Graduate |
2 (9%) 10 (43%) 11 (48%) |
8 (40%) 7 (35%) 5 (25%) |
10 (23%) 17 (40%) 16 (37%) |
| Years since Injury Mean Median Range |
13 8 2-34 |
15 13 1-49 |
14 10 1-49 |
| Neuroclassification Incomplete Paraplegia Complete Paraplegia Incomplete Tetraplegia Complete Tetraplegia Ambulatory |
1 (4%) 9 (39%) 2 (9%) 8 (35%) 3 (13%) |
2 (10%) 6 (29%) 2 (10%) 5 (24%) 6 (29%) |
3 (7%) 15 (34%) 4 (9%) 13 (30%) 9 (20%) |
| Type of Insurance Catastrophic (workers? comp. & auto no fault) Private (includes HMO) Medicaid None VA or Medicare only |
10 (45%) 5 (23%) 6 (27%) 1 (5%) 0 (0%) |
11 (52%) 7 (33%) 0 (0%) 1 (5%) 2 (10%) |
21 (49%) 12 (28%) 6 (14%) 2 (5%) 2 (5%) |
*significant difference between workshop and control group: p<0.05