Purpose: Children and adolescents (<18 years old) who sustain a spinal cord injury (SCI) should ideally be managed in specialized rehabilitation services. This project aims to describe the organization of pediatric SCI in ten rehabilitation units in seven countries and to qualitatively explore psychosocial aspects of adolescents living with SCI.
Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional project is planned, using quantitative (web survey) and qualitative (interview) methods in ten rehabilitation units from Norway, Sweden, United States, Israel, PR China, Russia and Palestine. Individual interviews will be conducted with ≥20 adolescents aged 13-17 years at least 6 months' post rehabilitation.
Results: Units involved will be described and compared, according to funding, attachment to an acute SCI unit, catchment area, number of beds, admittance and discharge procedures, availability of services, staff/patient ratio, content and intensity of rehabilitation programs, length of stay, measurement methods, follow-up services, health promotion services, and pediatric SCI prevention acts. The semi-structured interview guide will include experiences from acute care and primary rehabilitation, daily life, school, contact with friends, leisure time activities, peers, physical and psychological health, and the adolescents' plans for the future.
Conclusion: Based on the present protocol, this project is likely to provide new insight and knowledge on pediatric SCI rehabilitation and increase the understanding of pediatric SCI in adolescents and their families internationally.
Keywords: Children; adolescents; interdisciplinary; international; management; multicenter; multidisciplinary; patient perspective; psychosocial aspects; specialized rehabilitation; spinal cord injury.