Role of travel in the lives of people after spinal cord injury

In mainstream USA, full participation in society requires people to travel to some degree for work, education, and for leisure. While reduced level of participation in various life activities of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) is widely noted in the literature, data on their participation in travel-related activities, especially long-distance, are limited. In addition, there is no empirical evidence on the importance of travel to the lives of people after SCI. Using secondary data, this study examines the relationship of travel with social integration and life satisfaction.

Data were originally collected by 14 Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems in the United States. A total of 8,685 patients’ interview data are included in the model system’s records from 2007-2011. While 38% of the patients did not spend any nights away from home the year before the interview, 46% spent at least 5 nights away from home (excluding nights for re-hospitalization). Results of regression analysis show that the number of nights spent away from home had a significant positive relationship with social integration (F=2734, p<.001) and life satisfaction (F=1715, p<.001). It explained 23.3% and 16.3% of the variance in social integration and life satisfaction, respectively.  

Results indicate that many people after SCI are still traveling away from home although maybe less often than people without a disability. Additionally, the ability to travel is a significant predictor of social integration and life satisfaction. Health professionals and researchers need to focus on reducing barriers to participation of people with SCI in travel-related activities.