Publication Date
8-1-2023
Journal
European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
DOI
10.23736/S1973-9087.23.08084-X
PMID
37746784
PMCID
PMC10548397
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
9-25-2023
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Adolescent, Humans, Mental Health, Scoliosis, Cross-Sectional Studies, Adaptation, Psychological, Braces, Scoliosis, Counseling, Psychological stress, Adolescent, Quality of life
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The psychological impact of idiopathic scoliosis has been well established in the literature. While the diagnosis of scoliosis is concerning, bracing often compounds patients' stress, and patients have expressed wanting to discuss their feelings with their healthcare providers. Counseling can be an effective coping strategy for adolescents facing chronic illness, but it has not been studied in individuals diagnosed with scoliosis.
AIM: To assess the frequency and effect of counseling and clinician-led mental health discussions on individuals diagnosed with scoliosis in childhood and adolescence.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
SETTING: Community-based research, online.
POPULATION: Individuals diagnosed with scoliosis in childhood and adolescence.
METHODS: The online survey included the SRS-22r, the BSSQ-Brace, questions about demographics, mental health, the Scolios-us Mentor Program, and general scoliosis experience. The survey was distributed to Scolios-us Mentor Program participants and to scoliosis clinicians to provide to their patients. Responses about mental health, experiences with healthcare providers, and counseling were analyzed for group differences and associations.
RESULTS: Fifty-five subjects participated in the study, with a median age of 13 (IQR: 3). Our results indicate that mental health is not being discussed as much as it is desired. A desire to discuss mental health was associated with lower function (P=0.005), mental health (P
CONCLUSIONS: Mental health is not discussed by scoliosis providers as often as patients desire it, and a desire to have these conversations is negatively associated with several clinical outcomes. Although clinicians are not regularly talking about mental health, the positive associations of mental health discussions with clinical outcomes are encouraging.
CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: The ability to acknowledge the desire to discuss mental health, begin these discussions, and refer patients to a mental health professional may improve patient outcomes.
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