{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,19]],"date-time":"2026-08-19T18:39:06Z","timestamp":1787164746331,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"AOSIS","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]],"date-time":"2026-03-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774483200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background:\u00a0Community reintegration after spinal cord injury (SCI) is influenced by personal and injury-related factors. However, data from two South African studies examining these associations have not been jointly analysed.\nObjectives:\u00a0Our study aimed to examine the association between sociodemographic and injury-related factors and community reintegration among people with spinal cord injury (PWSCI).\nMethod:\u00a0Secondary data analysis was conducted using two cross-sectional South African datasets comprising 182 PWSCI. The datasets met the predefined homogeneity criteria and were analysed separately and as a pooled dataset. Community reintegration was measured using the Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise participant characteristics, while Chi-square and Fisher\u2019s exact tests were applied to examine associations between explanatory variables and community reintegration outcomes.\nResults:\u00a0In the pooled analysis, better community reintegration was significantly associated with younger age (&lt; 55 years), female sex and employment (p\u00a0&lt; 0.05). Participants with thoracic and lumbar injuries showed higher levels of reintegration than those with cervical injuries although this association was not statistically significant. Injury severity and aetiology were not significantly associated with community reintegration.\nConclusion:\u00a0Younger age, female sex and favourable social circumstances, particularly employment, are associated with better community reintegration among PWSCI. These findings highlight the importance of considering the sociodemographic context and injury characteristics when planning rehabilitation and community-based support interventions.\nClinical implications:\u00a0Early identification of older and unemployed PWSCI may help clinicians target individuals at a higher risk of poor community reintegration and guide tailored rehabilitation strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/sajp.v82i1.2326","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T13:22:04Z","timestamp":1774444924000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Association between sociodemographic and injury factors in community reintegration following spinal cord injury: An analysis of two datasets"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"82","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4535-6652","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joyce","family":"Mothabeng","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00g0p6g84","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Pretoria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1712-2763","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chiedozie","family":"Eleje","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02ph9d254","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences Uburu"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9493-9443","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martins","family":"Nweke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00g0p6g84","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Pretoria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","unstructured":"Akter, F., Islam, S., Haque, O., Hossain, A., Hossain, K., Imran, M. et al., 2019, \u2018Barriers for individuals with spinal cord injury during community reintegration: A qualitative study\u2019, International Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Journal 7, 2."},{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Atobatele, K.O., Olaleye, O.A., Fatoye, F.A. & Hamzat, T.K., 2018, \u2018Relationships between community reintegration and clinical and psychosocial attributes in individuals with spinal cord injury in a Nigerian city\u2019, Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation 24, 306\u2013314. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1310\/sci16-00055","DOI":"10.1310\/sci16-00055"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barclay, L., Robins, L., Migliorini, C. & Lalor, A., 2021, \u2018Community integration programs and interventions for people with spinal cord injury: A scoping review\u2019, Disability and Rehabilitation 43, 3845\u20133855. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/09638288.2020.1749889","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2020.1749889"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Buys, E., Nadasan, T., Pefile, N., Ogunlana, M.O. & Naidoo, D., 2022, \u2018Clinical and sociodemographic determinants of community reintegration in people with spinal cord injury in eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal province\u2019, South African Journal of Physiotherapy 78, 1631. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/sajp.v78i1.1631","DOI":"10.4102\/sajp.v78i1.1631"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Carr, J., Kendall, M., Amsters, D., Pershouse, K., Kuipers, P., Buettner, P. et al., 2017, \u2018Community participation of individuals with spinal cord injury living in Queensland, Australia\u2019, Spinal Cord 55, 192\u2013197. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/sc.2016.169","DOI":"10.1038\/sc.2016.169"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Craig, A., Nicholson Perry, K., Guest, R., Tran, Y. & Middleton, J., 2015, \u2018Adjustment following chronic spinal cord injury: Determining factors that contribute to social participation\u2019, British Journal of Health Psychology 20, 807\u2013823. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/bjhp.12143","DOI":"10.1111\/bjhp.12143"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dwyer, K.J. & Mulligan, H., 2015, \u2018Community reintegration following spinal cord injury: Insights for health professionals in community rehabilitation services in New Zealand\u2019, New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy 43, 75\u201385. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15619\/NZJP\/43.3.02","DOI":"10.15619\/NZJP\/43.3.02"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Grimes, D.A. & Schulz, K.F., 2002, \u2018Bias and causal associations in observational research\u2019, Lancet 359, 248\u2013252. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0140-6736(02)07451-2","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(02)07451-2"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gupta, S., Jaiswal, A., Norman, K. & Depaul, V., 2019, \u2018Heterogeneity and its impact on rehabilitation outcomes and interventions for community reintegration in people with spinal cord injuries: An integrative review\u2019, Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation 25, 164\u2013185. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1310\/sci2502-164","DOI":"10.1310\/sci2502-164"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kanyoni, M., Wikmar, L.N., Philips, J., Joseph, C. & Tumusiime, D.K., 2024, \u2018Incidence and etiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in Rwanda: A prospective population-based study\u2019, Frontiers in Neurology 15, 1373893. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fneur.2024.1373893","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2024.1373893"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lijodi, B., Titus, A., Louw, Q. & Joseph, C., 2025, \u2018Activity limitations, participation restrictions, and environmental barriers among persons with traumatic spinal cord injury in Kenya\u2019, Disability and Rehabilitation 47, 1156\u20131162. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/09638288.2024.2365413","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2024.2365413"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Liu, Y., Yang, X., He, Z., Li, J., Li, Y., Wu, Y. et al., 2023, \u2018Spinal cord injury: Global burden from 1990 to 2019 and projections up to 2030 using Bayesian age-period-cohort analysis\u2019, Frontiers in Neurology 14, 1304153. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fneur.2023.1304153","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2023.1304153"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mashola, K.M., 2022, \u2018The presence of pain and its impact on functioning and disability in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury: A framework for self-management\u2019, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2020-044152"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mashola, M. & Mothabeng, D., 2019, \u2018Associations between health behavior, secondary health conditions, and quality of life in people with spinal cord injury\u2019, African Journal of Disability 8, 463. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/ajod.v8i0.463","DOI":"10.4102\/ajod.v8i0.463"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Morwane, R., Dada, S. & Bornman, J., 2021, \u2018Barriers to and facilitators of employment of persons with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review\u2019, African Journal of Disability, 10, 833. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/ajod.v10i0.833","DOI":"10.4102\/ajod.v10i0.833"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nizeyimana, E., Phillips, & Joseph, C., 2024, \u2018Psychosocial reintegration following traumatic spinal cord injury in South Africa: The influence of employment, injury characteristics, and living situation\u2019, Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine 47, 255\u2013262. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10790268.2021.2016306","DOI":"10.1080\/10790268.2021.2016306"},{"key":"ref16","unstructured":"Nweke, M., Van Vuuren, M., Bester, K., Maritz, A., Van Vuuren, L., Vilakazi, Y. et al., 2025, Theoretical considerations and data triangulation in a secondary analysis of exposure-outcome association: A case protocol."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pazzi, C., Farrehi, C., Capron, M., Anderson, K., Richardson, B. & Stillman, M., 2021, \u2018An assessment of which sociodemographic and spinal cord injury-specific characteristics influence engagement with experimental therapies and participation in clinical trials\u2019, Top Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation 27, 28\u201339.","DOI":"10.46292\/sci20-00070"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Quadri, S.A., Farooqui, M., Ikram, A., Zafar, A., Khan, M.A., Suriya, S.S. et al., 2020, \u2018Recent updates on the basic mechanisms of spinal cord injury\u2019, Neurosurgical Review 43, 425\u2013441. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10143-018-1008-3","DOI":"10.1007\/s10143-018-1008-3"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Reinhardt, J.D., Ballert, C., Brinkhof, M.W. & Post, M.W., 2016, \u2018Perceived impact of environmental barriers on participation among people living with spinal cord injury in Switzerland\u2019, Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 48, 210\u2013218. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2340\/16501977-2048","DOI":"10.2340\/16501977-2048"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Seabold, S. & Perktold, J., 2010, \u2018Statsmodels: Econometric and statistical modelling with Python\u2019, in Proceedings of the 9th Python in Science Conference (SciPy 2010), pp. 92\u201396, Austin, TX.","DOI":"10.25080\/Majora-92bf1922-011"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Serres-Lafontaine, A.D., Labb\u00e9, D., Batcho, C.S., Norris, L. & Best, K.L., 2023, \u2018Social participation of individuals with spinal injury using wheelchairs in rural Tanzania after peer and entrepreneurial skills training\u2019, African Journal of Disability 12, 975. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/ajod.v12i0.975","DOI":"10.4102\/ajod.v12i0.975"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Swart, E., Bitzer, E.M., Gothe, H., Harling, M., Hoffmann, F., Horenkamp-Sonntag, D., et al., 2016, \u2018A consensus German reporting standard for secondary data analyses, version 2 (STROSA-STandardisierte BerichtsROutine f\u00fcr Sekund\u00e4rdatenAnalysen)\u2019, Gesundheitswesen 78(S 01), e145\u2013e160.","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0042-108647"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Van der Westhuizen, L., 2016, \u2018Correlation between physical activity and community participation in individuals with spinal cord injury\u2019, MPhysT dissertation, University of Pretoria.","DOI":"10.4102\/sajp.v73i1.354"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Van der Westhuizen, L., Mothabeng, D.J. & Nkwenika, T.M., 2017, \u2018The relationship between physical fitness and community participation in individuals with spinal cord injury\u2019, South African Journal of Physiotherapy 73, 354. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/sajp.v73i1.354","DOI":"10.4102\/sajp.v73i1.354"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wickham, R.J., 2019, \u2018Secondary analysis of research data\u2019, Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology 10, 395. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.6004\/jadpro.2019.10.4.7","DOI":"10.6004\/jadpro.2019.10.4.7"}],"container-title":["South African Journal of Physiotherapy"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/sajp.co.za\/index.php\/sajp\/article\/view\/2326\/4159","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T13:22:25Z","timestamp":1774444945000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/sajp.co.za\/index.php\/sajp\/article\/view\/2326"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]]},"references-count":26,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/sajp.v82i1.2326","relation":{},"ISSN":["0379-6175","2410-8219"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0379-6175","type":"print"},{"value":"2410-8219","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]]},"article-number":"a2326"}}