Anxiety and depression after spinal cord injury: a longitudinal analysis

Abstract

Objective: To examine the prevalence of anxiety and depression longitudinally in a sample of patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: A prospective, longitudinal, multiple wave panel design with measures taken on 14 observational periods ranging from initial contact in the acute stages of hospitalization to 2 years' postdischarge to the community.

Setting: The National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, UK, and the general community.

Participants: The cohort consisted of 104 patients with traumatic SCI (19 women, 85 men), although the numbers assessed at each interval ranged from 5 to 85.

Main outcome measures: Measures included the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Hopelessness scale, the State Anxiety Inventory, the functional independence measure, and the Social Support Questionnaire.

Results: When examined longitudinally, the data illustrate a consistent pattern of results across measures, with scores highest in the acute phase of the injury and during the months leading up to discharge.

Conclusion: The numbers of persons scoring above clinical cut-off scores for anxiety and depression highlight the need to continue to ensure that appropriate psychological care is available within SCI rehabilitation settings. Moreover, the nature of the longitudinal results provides an indicator of subtle changes in anxiety and depression over time.