Determinants of resilience among people who sustained spinal cord injury from the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of resilience, compare resilience by demographic and injury-related characteristics, and identify significant determinants of resilience in Nepalese people who sustained spinal cord injury (SCI) from the 2015 earthquake.

SETTING: Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Center, Kavre and 14 communities in Nepal.

METHODS: Eighty-two participants were included using a convenience sampling technique. A demographic and injury-related questionnaire was used to identify the characteristics of the participants. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale was used to measure resilience. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the demographic and injury-related factors that contribute to resilience.

RESULTS: Almost 54% of the participants had low level of resilience. Independent samples t-tests and ANOVA showed that participants with higher resilience outcome were more likely to be male, employed, paraplegic level of injury and pain free. The regression analysis revealed that only gender was a unique determinant of resilience (β=0.38, t=3.40, P=0.001) in Nepalese with earthquake-related SCI.

CONCLUSION: More than half of Nepalese who sustained SCI from the 2015 earthquake in Nepal had not achieved a high level of resilience 2 years later. Gender was a significant determinant of resilience. The results highlighted the importance of providing appropriate intervention and allocating continuing support to the Nepalese people with SCI. A further longitudinal study is recommended to determine predictive factors of the dynamic nature of resilience.