A striving for independence: a qualitative study of women living with vertebral fracture

BMC Nursing

Table 1 Participant demographic details

Interview	Age	Marital status	Children	Number of Vertebral Fractures *	SDI *	Other Fracture/s Yes/No
1	74	Widow	Yes	7	15	No
2	84	Widow	Yes	4	10	Yes
3	80	Married	Yes	6	16	Yes
4	79	Married	Yes	3	7	Yes
5	72	Married	Yes	4	9	Yes
6	82	Widow	Yes	7	18	Yes
7	68	Married	Yes	5	11	No
8	79	Widow	Yes	3	8	No
9	70	Widow	No	5	14	Yes
10	79	Married	Yes	1	3	No

*Number and grade of vertebral deformities were assessed two years before the present study by evaluating a lateral digital radiograph of the thoracic and lumbar spine, according the Genant visual semi-quantitative criteria. A Spinal Deformity Index (SDI, range 0-39) was calculated as the sum of all deformity grades, from 0 (normal) to 3 (severe) in each of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae from T4 to L4, a high score indicating a more severe diagnosis.

ISSN: 1472-6955