Health services research in SCI plays a critical role in understanding and improving the quality, accessibility, and effectiveness of care for individuals with SCI.
This field focuses on evaluating the structure, delivery, and outcomes of healthcare services, with the goal of ensuring that people with SCI receive the best possible care throughout their lives.
Key areas of health services research in SCI include:
- Healthcare Access and Equity: Examining barriers to care and disparities in access to, experience with and usage of medical, rehabilitation, and mental health services for individuals with SCI.
- Care Coordination and Continuity: Assessing how well different components of the healthcare system work together to provide comprehensive, long-term care from the acute phase of SCI through to community reintegration.
- Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Allocation: Analyzing the economic impact of SCI care, including the cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation programs, assistive technologies, and long-term health management strategies.
By improving the understanding of how healthcare systems can better meet the needs of individuals with SCI, health services research contributes to more efficient, patient-centered care and helps inform policy decisions that improve the overall quality of life for this population.
The health services research group is dedicated to the investigation of these issues. Further information can be found in the following reading material.
Pacheco Barzallo D, Gross-Hemmi M, Bickenbach J, Juocevičius A, Popa D, Wahyuni LK; InSCI, Strøm V. Quality of Life and the Health System: A 22-Country Comparison of the Situation of People With Spinal Cord Injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2020 Dec;101(12):2167-2176. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.04.030. Epub 2020 Jun 10. PMID: 32533934.
