Search

Background: There are no known interventions addressing self-esteem in women following spinal cord injury (SCI)., Objectives: To test the feasibility of an online self-esteem intervention for women with disabilities, as modified for women with SCI., Method: We conducted a randomized, controlled feasibility test of a self-esteem intervention (N = 21). Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group that received intervention materials at the end of the study. Intervention participants met as avatars for 7 weekly real-time group sessions in Second Life (SL), a free online virtual world. Feasibility indicators were study engagement, acceptability of SL and the intervention, and improvements on measures of psychological health promoting behaviors, social support, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and depression., Results: Intervention participants (n = 10) were highly engaged, and most described the SL program as more enjoyable and more convenient than in-person programs. All rated the intervention as "good" (n = 4) or "very good" (n = 6), and all 10 rated themselves has having made positive life changes as a result of the program. Intervention participants experienced significantly greater change than controls on two measures of health-promoting behavior (Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II Spiritual Growth/Self-actualization; Interpersonal Relations). Examining change in the intervention group using regression analyses, we found medium-to-large effects of the intervention on these behaviors and measures of depression (CESD-10, PHQ-9). The intervention had small effects on remaining measures., Conclusion: We found preliminary support for the feasibility of this modified self-esteem intervention offered in SL. Such programming may help circumvent barriers to community-based psychological services and may improve psychological health., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This cross-sectional study was designed to examine weight in association with demographic and disability characteristics and secondary conditions in a sample of community living women with physical disabilities., Methods: 443 predominantly ethnic minority women with physical disabilities were recruited through public and private health clinics and community organizations. They completed questionnaires including measures of body mass index and a health conditions checklist., Results: Data showed that nearly three-quarters of the sample were overweight (26.6%) or obese (47.6%) with 14% extremely obese. Obesity was highest among middle aged women (aged 45-54, 52.7%; aged 55-64, 52.5%; compared to aged 18-44, 37.8%; or aged ≥65, 39.1%). Black (84.0%) and Hispanic women (83.8%) were more likely to be overweight or obese compared to non-Hispanic white women (56.7%). Women with joint and connective tissue diseases and women with more extensive functional limitations were more likely to have excess weight. Disability factors were more strongly associated with excess weight than demographic factors other than age. Weight classification was significantly related to whether or not the women had ever had diabetes or blood pressure problems. Diabetes was reported 4 times as often as among women in general (36.3% versus 8.9%), and hypertension nearly twice as often (56.2% versus 30.9%)., Conclusions: These findings indicate extremely high rates of overweight and obesity in women with physical disabilities, a growing population greatly in need of effective weight management interventions. Overweight and obesity in combination with disability in women was associated with disproportionately high rates of diabetes and hypertension.