Implications of a Holistic Rehabilitation Approach following Spinal Cord Injury: a Case Study from India

Authors

  • Pallerla Srikanth National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7513-8264
  • Sivaleela Agadi National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS
  • Remy Lobo National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS
  • BP Nirmala National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS
  • Shanivaram Reddy K National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4023-6969
  • Anupam Gupta National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5347-6545

Keywords:

Spinal cord injury, psycho-social, rehabilitation

Abstract

Purpose: Spinal cord injury causes temporary or permanent changes in spinal cord function. This case report highlights the significance of multidisciplinary rehabilitation team interventions after surgery for spinal cord injury.

Method: The paper examines the case of a 16-year-old girl, diagnosed with spinal cord injury after a traumatic incident four months earlier. The adolescent (client), a 9th grade student from a lower socioeconomic background, presented with weakness in the lower limbs, pressure ulcer, and neuropathic pain. Along with dependency for lower limb activities of daily living, there was severe biopsychosocial impairment. The client’s mother had no respite during the entire process of caregiving. On the basis of psychosocial findings, specific customised interventions were administered to the client and her mother, on a daily basis, for one and a half months.

Results: Different scales were used to assess the quality of life (BREF-QoL), illness perception (Brief IPQ) and depression and anxiety (HADS) of the client, both pre and post interventions. A comprehensive tailor made psycho-social interventions were provided during and after the rehabilitation and significant improvement was found. Scales to assess the social and occupational functioning (SOFAS) of the family and perceived family burden also noted positive changes.

Conclusion: Psychiatric social work interventions play a vital role in rehabilitating persons with neurological conditions. Adopting holistic rehabilitation approaches enhances the well-being and quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury and their families.

Author Biographies

Pallerla Srikanth, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS

Pallerla Srikanth is a Ph.D. Scholar, from the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences. He has published articles in many national and international journals. His areas of interests are - disability managament and social work interventions. He has presented his research at various platforms.

Sivaleela Agadi, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS

Sivaleela has completed her M.Phil. in Psychiatric Social Work, from the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru. She is currently working as a Psychiatric Social Worker, from the department of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS.

Remy Lobo, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS

Remy has a M.Phil. in Psychiatric Social Worker from Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru. Currently he is working as a Psychiatric Social Worker at the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS

BP Nirmala, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS

Dr. Nirmala is a Professor at the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru. She has more than 35 years of experince in the field of mental health. She is a consultant at the Department of Neurological Rehabilitatition at NIMHANS, where she guides research scholars. She has published many research articles on disability management and psycho-social issues of persons with disabilities. 

Shanivaram Reddy K, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS

Dr. Shanivaram Reddy K. is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru. He has ten years of experience in rehabilitation of persons with mental illness and also guides research scholars at NIMHANS. He has published research articles on psychiatric rehabilitation, disability rights and vocational guidance.

Anupam Gupta, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences - NIMHANS

Dr. Anupam Gupta is a Professor at the Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru. He has 30 years of experince as a rehabilitation professional in the field of management of neurological conditions. He has published research articles in this field and has guided many research scholars.

Downloads

Published

2023-03-04

How to Cite

1.
Srikanth P, Agadi S, Lobo R, Nirmala B, K SR, Gupta A. Implications of a Holistic Rehabilitation Approach following Spinal Cord Injury: a Case Study from India. DCIDJ [Internet]. 2023 Mar. 4 [cited 2024 May 16];33(4):89-98. Available from: https://dcidj.uog.edu.et/index.php/up-j-dcbrid/article/view/592

Issue

Vol. 33 No. 4 (2022): Winter

Section

Case Studies

License

Copyright (c) 2023 The Author(s)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License By-NC-ND 4.0 that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).