Our findings suggest that patient-reported outcomes are likely
to be valuable in research and that QOL means different things to
different people. Recently developed measures (eg, Patient Reported
Outcomes Measurement Information Systems, Spinal Cord
Injury Quality of Life) offer new opportunities for using QOL
outcomes in SCI trials designed to assess the effect of future interventions.
67 With recent advances in care and technology, one’s
ability to access and use external sources to address daily needs
must be considered when interpreting physical components of
QOL for persons with SCI. Such sources may become an intrinsic
part of self-identity, therefore influencing responses to measures
of QOL.