Self-rated health among spinal cord injury survivors: directions for future research

Aim: This study was conducted to further the understanding of self-rated health (SRH) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: A review of the literature identified four published studies and the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSCISC) database that have evaluated SRH in persons with SCI. This article discusses the SRH findings across the studies and the NSCISC database, and compares these to the broader SRH literature. Findings: People with SCI do not rate their health very differently from able-bodied persons and, for the most part, rate their health positively. SRH ratings for persons with SCI may be inextricably linked to age and secondary conditions. Conclusions: The analysis suggests that SRH as a concept has been underused in studies with people with SCI. Given the literature that points to the power of SRH to predict many important health outcomes, the authors urge greater consideration of the SRH measure in disability and rehabilitation research and suggest directions for conceptual and measurement development.