A study on the application effectiveness of discharge preparation strategies from a dual perspective among spinal cord injury rehabilitation patients and their spouses.

Abstract

Randomized controlled trial (RCT). To explore the application effectiveness of discharge preparation strategies from a dual perspective among spinal cord injury rehabilitation patients and their spouses, providing scientific evidence for optimizing the discharge rehabilitation management model for spinal cord injury patients. Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. From July 2023 to March 2024, SCI patients were randomly allocated to a control group (routine discharge preparation) or an intervention group (routine preparation plus a multidisciplinary dual-perspective intervention). Outcomes were assessed using the Discharge Readiness Scale (RHDS), Discharge Guidance Quality Scale (QDTS), Dual Coping Inventory (DCI), SF-36 health survey, and Caregiver Preparation Scale (CPS) at admission and 48-72 hours before discharge. Before discharge, both groups showed improved RHDS and QDTS scores, but the intervention group had significantly higher scores. Patients and spouses in the intervention group also demonstrated greater improvements in DCI scores, indicating better collaborative coping. Spouses in this group scored higher on the CPS, reflecting better preparedness. At 3-month follow-up, the intervention group had superior SF-36 scores and lower complication rates. A discharge preparation strategy based on a dual patient-spouse perspective can significantly improve the discharge readiness, couple's collaborative coping ability, and spouse's caregiving ability of patients with spinal cord injury, thereby enhancing their long-term quality of life and providing a new direction for establishing a family-collaborative rehabilitation management model. Visual Abstract: Dual-Perspective Discharge Preparation in SCI Rehabilitation. A randomized trial of 78 spinal cord injury patient-spouse dyads found that a dual-perspective discharge preparation strategy significantly improved readiness for discharge, dyadic coping, and spousal preparedness, and reduced complications at 3 months, supporting a family-collaborative rehabilitation model.