Research Paper: Coping Strategies in People With Spinal Cord Injury: A Qualitative Interviewing

Coping strategies are important following spinal cord injury (SCI). It is equally important to know the peculiar coping strategy used in a given population with a distinct cultural background. The aim of this study was to explore the peculiar coping strategies used by people with SCI in Kano. Methods: The study was a qualitative interview approved by the research ethics committees of the Kano State Ministry of Health and National Orthopaedics Hospital, Dala. The participants were interviewed individually using a qualitative interview guide while their responses were recorded by a note taker and using a tape recorder. Thereafter, the responses were transcribed, coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Twenty people with SCI having a mean age of 35.10±13.56 years and who were at least 1 year post SCI participated in the study. The results showed that people with SCI in Kano use religion mostly (95%), followed by acceptance (45%) and denial, substance use, blame, seeking social and positive reframing with each having 5%. Additionally, the use of religion pertains to absolute belief in the will of God as the cause of their condition and use of regular prayers. However, the use of religion and acceptance seem to be interdependent in this population. Discussion: Religion is majorly used as a way to cope and accept a stressful condition such as SCI in this population. Therefore, healthcare professionals and caregivers are required to understand the peculiar coping strategies used by a given population so as to help reinforce them.