Health Locus of Control and Quality of Life in people with Spinal Cord Injury in Poland and Great Britain

Sense of control is an important factor regulating every-day functioning and influencing appraisal of individual quality of life. In the situation of loss of motor functions, as observed in case of spinal cord injury, all aspects of person?s life undergo a significant change. Unfitness to perform certain actions may be felt as a limitation of ability to influence and control both surroundings as well as a personal (physiological and emotional) sphere. It is especially crucial for people with injury level of Th6 and above, experiencing symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia, which poses a significant threat of rapid deterioration of one?s health and untreated, may lead to death. Health locus of control, either internal or external, determines individual perception of factors influencing one?s wellbeing and general assessment of health. It lays foundations to positive or negative evaluation of life.The aim of this study is to investigate health locus of control and its impact on quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury, experiencing symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia, in Poland and Great Britain.A total of 65 individuals with spinal cord injury, level Th6 and above experiencing symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia, from Poland (33 participants) and Great Britain (32 participants) were recruited. Study group consisted of people in young and middle adulthood with mean age of 31 ± 5. Each culturally diverse group represented a different type of care system, accordingly: institutional and person- centred/ individual. Research methods used include: Multidimentional Health Locus of Control Questionnaire (MHLC), Quality of Life Questionnaire ? Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Sociodemographic Questionnaire and Autonomic Dysreflexia Questionnaire (author?s construction).Results of psychometric analysis show significant differences in quality of life as well as health locus of control in two groups. Higher scores on MHLC internal subscale were found in participants from Great Britain, and were related to more positive assessment (higher scores) of quality of life in this group. Lower quality of life as well as higher results of internal subscale in MHLC questionnaire was found in participants from Poland. Internal health locus of control is associated with positive evaluation of one?s ability to control physical aspects of functioning, which is important for psychological wellbeing. Understanding relationship between locus of control and quality of life is a key to designing and implementing accurate intervention as well as education programs; being the source of support for patients.