How does spinal cord injury affect marital relationship? A story from both sides of the couple.

Abstract

To explore the impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) upon the family and marital relationship in Hong Kong. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 66 persons with SCI and 40 spouses. Qualitative information on family and marital relationships, life satisfaction, social functioning and leisure activities was transcribed and analysed. It was found that the impact of the SCI was manifested in different but interrelated aspects onto the individuals and their spouses. However, many of the problems were due to the lack of communication between them. Rehabilitation professionals should then treat the couple as a single unit in order to facilitate mutual understanding and get rid of any distorted perception.