Persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) are often experience polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications, to manage secondary complications and concurrent conditions. Despite the prevalence of polypharmacy and challenges associated with managing medications, there are few tools to support persons with SCI with medication self-management.
The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and summarize what is reported in the literature on medication self-management interventions for adults with traumatic SCI.
Articles were searched on electronic databases and grey literature. For inclusion, articles were required to include an adult population with a traumatic SCI and an intervention targeting medication management. They had to incorporate a component of self-management. Articles were independently screened and data were extracted and synthesized using descriptive approaches.
Three studies were included in this scoping review. Interventions included a mobile app and two education-based interventions to address self-management of SCI, medication management, and pain management. None of the identified interventions addressed medication self-management comprehensively. Learning outcomes (perceived knowledge and confidence), behavioural outcomes (management strategies, data entry), and clinical outcomes (number of medications, pain scores, functional outcomes) were evaluated. Results of the interventions varied, but some positive outcomes were noted, with improvements in perceived knowledge and confidence and a reduction in the use of multiple pain medications.
Overall, there are limited interventions targeting medication self-management for persons with SCI. There is an opportunity better support this population through the co-design and implementation of an intervention that comprehensively addresses self-management.
