Abstract

Background: One of the chronic diseases that causes various challenges for patients is spinal cord injury. On the other hand, apart from the problems that patients and caregivers of patients with SCI experience, the spread and prevalence of Covid-19 disease has been effective as an effective risk factor for abuse. Objectives: the aim of the present study is to determine the abuse prevalence and its effective risk factors among SCI patients in Ilam City during the Covid-19 outbreak. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study, population included all SCI patients in Ilam, included in the present study. Moreover, researcher-made forms and questionnaires whose validity and reliability were confirmed, including the demographic characteristics form, perceived abuse researcher-made questionnaire for SCI patients, were used. The perceived abuse questionnaire for SCI patients was a researcher-made questionnaire that was designed using library studies, interviewing patients and determining abuse instances. This instrument consists of 20 questions that are answered using Yes (score 1) and No (score 0). After data collection, statistical analyzes were performed. Data analyzed with spss16 software. Results: According to the results, the mean +/- SD of the perceived abuse score by caregivers and patients was 8.48 +/- 2.31 and 42.45 during the Covid-19 pandemic, respectively. Also, the mean +/- SD of patients' age was 62.86 +/- 19.15 and the patient perceived abuse increased with increasing age (P = 0.000, F = 27.42). Also, the possible abuse score was 0 to 20 that was divided into three categories: low (20, 20.4), moderate (76, 76.5) and high (2, 2). also, significantly higher perceived abuse score among women and patients with a history of more than 10 years of SCI, but there was no significant relationship between abuse prevalence with income and marital status (P>0.05). With regard to age and abuse, results also showed an increase in perceived abuse score with increasing age. Conclusions: necessary to take the necessary measures and preventions in this regard. Also, the prevalence of Covide-19related abuse in patients was hight, which is statistically important and significant. For this reason, while proposing preventive action in this field.