ICORD researcher Dr. Claydon and her research team at SFU, and community partner Spinal Cord Injury BC are interested in learning more about the sleep routines, disturbances, and barriers to sleep supports experienced by individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), as well as the impacts of these sleep problems on daily life.
This survey study aims to characterize the milieu of routine and physiological sleep disturbances after SCI. The survey asks about sleep quality, sleep routines (i.e., turning), and sleep problems (i.e., sleep apnea, neuropathic pain, autonomic dysreflexia) as they present in the nighttime. We will also ask how your sleep affects your quality of life.
Why should you participate in this study?
Poor sleep quality is widely documented among individuals with SCI, with consequences of excessive daytime sleepiness, high levels of fatigue, and reduced participation. Unsurprisingly, 59-80% of survey respondents with SCI indicate having a sleep problem that interferes with sleep onset or sleep continuity. While the correlations between sleep problems and secondary conditions (chronic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, respiratory impairment) experienced in the daytime are strong, we do not know enough about how these problems present in the nighttime or how to best manage them.
As such, the principal focus of the survey is to characterize the frequency, severity, and management of 10 distinct sleep disturbances identified through literature review and community partner priorities: turning routines, sleep apnea, bowel care, bladder care, AD, thermal discomfort, neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain, spasticity, and anxiety. Given the potential for reciprocal impacts between sleep disturbances and additive effects on sleep outcomes, it is necessary to study these sleep challenges post-SCI. With the support of patient and community partners, we hope that the results of this study will shed light on the under-recognized challenges of sleep post-SCI to provide context for meaningful change and inform clinical priorities.
You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:
- Have an SCI (inclusive of all injury levels, severity, duration, and cause)
- Are living in Canada
- Are at least 19 years old
- Are able to communicate and understand instructions in English
Compensation for participation
As a thank you for your time, participants will receive $15 via e-transfer. At the conclusion of the survey, participants who wish to receive the honoraria will be linked to an external survey to enter an email to which the e-transfer will be sent. Your email will not be linked to your survey responses.
This study will take place:
- Remotely (online survey / phone / audio call)
Time commitment
This online survey is estimated to take 30 – 45 minutes to complete. Skip logic has been integrated so that you will only be shown questions for the sleep disturbances that you indicate. If not completed in one sitting, the page can be left open until you return to it. If you wish to complete the survey verbally, please contact the survey coordinator (rebekah_lee@sfu.ca) to arrange a call.
Click here to start the survey, or save https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/SleepAfterSCI to start later.
For more information or to sign up to participate, please contact the study coordinator Rebekah Lee by email at rebekah_lee@sfu.ca or call (778) 892-8560.
