Measuring Spinal Cord Injury. A Practical Guide of Outcome Measures

1. Introduction on Measuring Spinal Cord Injury.- 2. Psychometric properties of Assessment Tools.- 3. Measuring Spinal Cord Injury: a Systematic Review.- 4. Measuring Quality of Life in Spinal Cord Injury.- 5. Measuring Activity of daily living in Spinal Cord Injury.- 6. Measuring Urological aspects in Spinal Cord Injury.- 7. Measuring Wheelchair Management in Spinal Cord Injury.- 8. Measuring Walking in Spinal Cord Injury.- 9. Measuring Paediatric Spinal Cord Injury.- 10. Measuring Caregiver in Spinal Cord Injury.- 11. Conclusion.

This book describes validated outcome measures for the international Spinal Cord Injury population. Based on rigorous systematic reviews of ca. 80,000 scientific articles, the authors present assessment tools for various clinical uses in the health sciences, following parameters of validity, reliability, and responsiveness.

It is important for the development of clinical practice and research that practical and appropriate measures become universally accepted; this would allow comparisons and meta- analysis of high-quality randomized controlled trials of people with this increasingly common injury.

This book emphasizes the need for consensus among researchers as to which tools must be studied in depth or adapted to other national contexts, or which measurement instruments should be standardized in order to develop universal norms and standards for the performance of people with Spinal Cord Injury. It offers a valuable practical guide for clinicians, rehabilitation professionals and nurses, but will also help researchers to gain more confidence in using valid and reliable assessment tools for comparable clinical trials.

Author Information

Giovanni Galeoto received his bachelor's degree in Physiotherapy in 2006 and his Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Health Professions in 2010 at "Sapienza" University of Rome. He is currently Research Fellow at the Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome and PhD candidate at the Department of Human Neuroscience of the same university. Among the main fields of interest are epidemiology, rehabilitation in orthopedics and neurology and validation of measuring tools. He published several articles in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the journal "International Journal of Neurology and Neurotherapy", "Journal of Advanced Health Care" and "Depression Research and Treatment", as well as Leader Guest Editor of the journal "Occupational Therapy International".

Anna Berardi graduated in 2014 in Occupational Therapy at "Sapienza" University of Rome. In 2017 she got the Master's degree in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Rome, and in 2018 she started her work in the Paraplegic Center of Ostia. In September 2017 she started a collaboration at "Sapienza" University as research coordinator. In January 2019 she went to the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, during these months she worked as research assistant and kept collaborating with "Sapienza" University. Currently, she is Research Assistant and PhD candidate in Neurorehabilitation at the Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome. She published several articles in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. She is currently a Guest Editor of the journal "Occupational Therapy International" and a member of the Editorial Board of the journal "Journal of Advanced Health Care".

Marco Tofani graduated in Psycho and Neurodevelopmental Therapy (2009) and in Occupational Therapy (2014) at "Sapienza" University of Rome. He specialized in Neurorehabilitation according to Bobath approach, then he obtained a 1st Level Master Degree in Hand Therapy at the University of Milan and a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Sciences at "Sapienza" University of Rome. He worked in clinic, research and education fields for hospitals, universities and both governmental and non-governmental organizations in Italy and worldwide, with a particular focus on low and middle income countries. Currently, he is working as temporary Research Assistant at the Department of Intensive Neurorehabilitation and Robotics of the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome and PhD Candidate in Public Health at "Sapienza" University of Rome. He published several articles in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is currently a Guest Editor of the journal "Occupational Therapy International" and a member of the Editorial Board of the journal "Journal of Advanced Health Care" and "Occupational Therapy International".

Maria Auxiliadora Marquez graduated in 1986 in Occupational Therapy and in 1990 in Speech Therapy at the university of Madrid "Universita Pontificia de Comillas". In 2017 she got the master degree in "Rehabilitation Science" at the University of Rome "Sapienza". After working as an Occupational Therapist in several centers since 2004, she is responsible for the occupational therapy service of the "Paraplegic Center of Ostia", Rome. Since 1997 she teaches at the universities of Rome "Sacro Cuore" and "Sapienza". In 2001 she was a member of the "National Commission for Prosthetic Assistance". Since 2009 she is vice president of the Italian CNOPUS (National Council of Health Operators in Spinal Unit).