OBJECTIVES: To evaluate self-care progress of individuals with paraplegia who attended an educational program regarding 16 intestinal elimination self-care deficits, and to determine the influence of the neurological level of the injury and locus of control on the progress of the self-care. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used to conduct the study. The sample consisted of 28 individuals with paraplegia who were assign to usual care group (N = 14) or to the educational program in intestinal elimination self-care deficits group (N-14). Nursing interventions were scored "Do = 4", "Guide = 3", "Support = 2", "Teach = 1", "Independent = 0". RESULTS: Individuals with paraplegia who attended the educational program had better progress toward self-care than those to the usual care group (p < 0.05). The neurological level of the injury and the locus of control did not influence individuals' progress toward self-care. CONCLUSION: The individuals who attended the educational program progressed satisfactorily toward intestinal elimination self-care actions.
Health education; Paraplegia; Patient education; Self care; Defecation; Nursing care
