Results of a study suggest that among spinal cord injury patients, depression appeared to decrease, contact with friends increased, and business contact increased as their Internet usage became more frequent.

A recent study examined the relationship between Internet use among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and health-related quality of life. Study subjects were recruited from the pool of participants in the 16 national Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems (MSCIS).  Most subjects owned computers and used the Internet regularly. The main question was whether or not the use of the Internet made a difference in the lives of people with SCI.

The results suggested that Internet use may be more valuable for information and services than for mood improvement.  The authors of this study suggest that an important role for medical and rehabilitation professionals may be to assist patients in gaining Internet access. They also recommended that future studies should determine those populations most likely to use and benefit from Internet usage.

For further information, refer to: "Patterns of Internet Use by Persons With Spinal Cord Injuries and Relationship to Health-Related Quality of Life," Drainoni, M PhD; Houlihan, B MSW MPH; Williams, S MD; Vedrani, M MPH; Esch, D PhD; Lee-Hood, E MS MTS; Weiner, C MPH, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol 85, no 11, December 2004.