Outcome a) (Experience Fewer Secondary Conditions) was measured using the Secondary Conditions Scale, which measures 43 potential major and minor secondary conditions for people with SCI. The Secondary Conditions Scale used for this project provides a total score that incorporates both the number and the severity of the secondary conditions experienced during the previous three months. The mean score for the Workshop group at the end of the project was significantly lower than the score at baseline (p=0.001), indicating fewer and less severe problems with secondary conditions (Table 5). There was no change for the Control group (p=0.47). An additional analysis of the total number of secondary conditions reported showed a similar significant decrease for the Workshop group (p=0.004) and no change for the Control group (p=0.82).
Outcome b) (Demonstrate Improved Physiological Health) was measured by three questions covering number of hospitalizations during the last three months, number of unscheduled doctor or clinic visits during the last three months, and number of sick days in the last three months. The Workshop group showed no significant change in any of these measures, while the Control group showed a significant increase in number of unscheduled doctor or clinic visits (p=0.009), but no change in the other two areas (Table 5). With the exception that the Control group showed significantly more unscheduled doctor or clinic visits, both groups showed decreases in the means for all three variables, but none of these decreases reached statistical significance.
Outcome c) (Demonstrate Improved Psychological Health) was measured by the HPLP Spiritual Growth sub-scale, the HPLP Interpersonal Relations sub-scale, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). The Control group showed no change on either HPLP measure (Table 5). The Workshop group showed no change on the Spiritual Growth sub-scale and a trend toward improvement on the Interpersonal Relations sub-scale (p=0.053). While there also was a trend toward improvement in GSES mean scores for the Workshop group, the change for neither group was statistically significant on this measure.
Outcome d) (Perceive Improved Quality of Life) utilized the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and the SF-12v2, a measure of quality of life producing a physical component score and a mental component score. The SWLS showed a significant improvement in mean scores for the Workshop group (p=0.004) and no change for the Control group (p=0.81) (Table 5). The SF-12v2 mental component score showed no differences in initial and final scores for either group, but the physical component score showed a significant improvement for the Workshop group (p=0.03) contrasted with no change for the Control group (p=0.49).
Outcome e) (Change in Health Knowledge) was measured by a series of approximately two dozen health knowledge questions in each of the Home Survey instruments. These questions were based on information presented by the instructors in the workshop sessions. While the Control group showed no change in mean scores from baseline to final testing, the Workshop group made a significant improvement in scores (p=0.001), indicating the workshop had a positive impact on the participants' knowledge about health (Table 5).
Outcome f) (Change Health Beliefs) did not have specific measures of health beliefs in the data set that could be directly related to this outcome. There were 14 items in the Barriers to Physical Activity with Disability Scale (B-PADS) that dealt with beliefs and concerns about exercise that were analyzed as a measure for this outcome, since beliefs about exercise are an important component of overall health beliefs. This analysis showed there was no significant change in the summary score for the B-PADS beliefs and concerns items for either the Workshop or Control groups.
Outcome g) (Change Health Behaviors) was measured by the Health Promoting Lifestyle Practices total score and the HPLP Health Responsibility sub-scale score. The mean score for the Workshop group was significantly improved on both measures (p=0.0003 and p=0.0001, respectively), while there was no change for the Control group (p=0.76 and p=0.72) (Table 5)
Table 5. Socio-Psychological Data Related to Predicted Outcomes
|
Outcome
|
Measure
|
Group*
|
Baseline (mean ± sd)
|
Final
(mean ± sd) |
t
value |
p
value* |
| a) Experience Fewer Secondary Conditons | Secondary Conditions Scale (lower score = fewer, less severe problems) | Workshop Control |
27.04 ± 18.78
19.48 ± 14.68 |
17.48 ± 14.37
17.62 ± 11.98 |
-3.66
-0.73 |
0.001
0.47 |
| Total # Secondary Conditions (lower score = fewer problems) | Workshop Control |
15.83 ± 8.61
12.38 ± 7.11 |
11.04 ± 6.94
12.10 ± 5.93 |
-3.19
-o.23 |
0.004
0.82 |
|
| b) Demonstrate Improved Physiological Health | Number of times hospitalized in last 3 months | Workshop Control |
0.087 ± 0.288
0.238 ± 0.700 |
0.043 ± 0.209
0.095 ± 0.301 |
-0.57
-0.90 |
0.58
0.38 |
| Number of unscheduled doctor/clinic visits in last 3 months | Workshop Control |
0.435 ± 0.662
0.143 ± 0.359 |
0.364 ± 0.727
0.571 ± 0.923 |
-0.24
2.90 |
0.81
0.009 |
|
| Number of sick days in last 3 months | Workshop Control |
2.609 ± 1.852
1.905 ± 1.411 |
2.565 ± 1.805
1.714 ± 1.056 |
-0.14
-0.90 |
0.89
0.38 |
|
| c) Demonstrate Improved Psychological Health | Spiritual Growth sub-scale | Workshop Control |
2.82 ± 0.70
3.01 ± 0.66 |
2.99 ± 0.72
2.98 ± 0.57 |
1.78
-0.34 |
0.09
0.74 |
| HPLP-II Interpersonal Relations sub-scale | Workshop Control |
2.71 ± 0.71
2.89 ± 0.63 |
2.85 ± 0.70
2.75 ± 0.59 |
2.05
-1.63 |
0.053
0.12 |
|
| General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) (lower score = greater self-efficacy) | Workshop Control |
34.96 ± 10.94
34.38 ± 8.39 |
33.26 ± 10.70
35.10 ± 9.31 |
-1.69
0.47 |
0.11
0.64 |
|
| d) Perceive Improved Quality of Life | Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) |
19.61 ± 7.23
23.29 ± 7.11 |
22.17 ± 6.46
22.91 ± 5.84 |
3.26
-0.25 |
0.004
0.81 |
|
| SF-12v2 - Physical Component Score | Workshop Control |
38.63 ± 10.99
39.93 ± 11.63 |
41.50 ± 9.90
41.29 ± 10.65 |
2.28
0.70 |
0.03
0.49 |
|
| SF-12v2 Mental Component Score | Workshop Control |
48.33 ± 8.37
50.56 ± 7.79 |
47.73 ± 11.74
49.81 ± 9.85 |
-0.27
-0.37 |
0.79
0.72 |
|
| e) Change Health Knowledge | Knowledge items from Home Survey | Workshop Control |
70.5% ± 15.5%
72.3% ± 11.5% |
80.9% ± 16.7%
75.5% ± 15.9% |
3.76
-0.04 |
0.001
0.97 |
| f) Change Health Beliefs | Summary score for 14 B-PADS items | Workshop Control |
3.91 ± 3.12
4.14 ± 2.94 |
3.82 ± 2.91
3.95 ± 3.04 |
-0.37
-0.44 |
0.71
0.66 |
| g) Change Health Behaviors | HPLP-II Total Score | Workshop Control |
2.43 ± 0.42
2.53 ± 0.47 |
2.70 ± 0.46
2.51 ± 0.48 |
4.25
-0.31 |
0.0003
0.76 |
| HPLP-II Health Responsibility sub-scale | Workshop Control |
2.50 ± 0.44
2.34 ± 0.58 |
2.77 ± 0.57
2.31 ± 0.54 |
4.70
-0.36 |
0.0001
0.72 |
* Significant p-values (<0.05) are in bold type. Workshop group n=23, Control group n=21.2)