A self-management intervention aimed to increase an active lifestyle in persons with a long-term spinal cord injury to: the HABITS (Healthy active behavioural intervention in spinal cord injury) study

INTERVENTION: Study participants were randomized to a 16 week self‐management intervention consisting of one home‐visit, 5 group‐meetings, 5 individual sessions and a personal counselor in order to improve self‐management skills that would facilitate behavior change towards an active lifestyle, or to a control group that only received information about an active lifestyle by one meeting and a booklet. CONDITION: Spinal cord injury ; Nervous System Diseases ; Spinal cord injury PRIMARY OUTCOME: 1. Objectively measured physical activity, is assessed by the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (PASIPD), at baseline, 16 weeks and 42 weeks. ; 2. Subjectively measured physical activity is measured at baseline, 16 weeks and 42 weeks, by two accelerometer‐based devices (ActiGraph GT3X+) [34]. One accelerometer attached at the wrist, the other to the spokes of one wheelchair wheel with special Velcro bands. Based on the results of the two accelerometers, a custom‐made algorithm in MatLab differentiates between self‐propelled wheelchair driving and other activities. SECONDARY OUTCOME: 1. Self‐management skills (self‐efficacy, proactive coping) are measured at baseline, 16 weeks and 42 weeks with two scales:; 1.1. The SCI exercise self‐efficacy scale, measures self‐reported self‐efficacy for various types of physical exercise in individuals with SCI; 1.2. The Utrecht Proactive Coping Competence scale , which assesses an individual’s experienced competency with regard to the various skills associated with proactive coping. ; 2. Stages of exercise change is measured at baseline, 16 weeks and 42 weeks using the Questionnaire University of Rhode Island continuous measure to assesses the six stages of change for regular exercise (based on the Trans‐theoretical model); 3. Attitude, which is measured using the Exercise: Decisional Balance questionnaire at baseline, 16 weeks and 42 weeks. This questionnaire reflects the individual's relative weighing of the pros and cons of changing exercise behavior. INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Spinal cord injury (for at least 10 years) 2. Aged between 28‐65 years 3. PASIPD score (Physical activity scale for individuals with physical disabilities) lower than the 75th percentile of a Dutch SCI population 4. Ability to use a hand‐rim wheelchair