1. How many
spinal cord injuries occur in the U.S. each year?
There
have not been any studies of the overall incidence of SCI in the
United States during the past decade. However, the recent advent of
state based SCI registries is providing both an estimate of SCI
incidence in the United States as well as the identification of
regional differences in SCI incidence. States known to have
registries include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida,
Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New
Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and West
Virginia. These studies suggest the incidence rate of SCI is about
40 cases per million population, excluding those
who die at the scene of the accident. Given a current United States
population of approximately 281.4 million persons, this means that
over 11,000 new cases occur each year.
2. What are the
leading causes of Spinal Cord Injuries?
Motor vehicle
crashes rank 1st at 38.5% followed by acts of violence at 24.5%;
falls at 21.8%; sports at 7.2% and all others at 7.9%. These figures
are for all injuries reported to the National Database since 1990.
The percentage of cases due to acts of violence and falls have
increased steadily since 1973. The percentage of cases due to motor
vehicle crashes and sports has been falling.
References:
- DeVivo MJ, Rutt RD, Black KJ, Go BK, Stover SL. Trends
in spinal cord injury demographics and treatment outcomes
between 1973 and 1986. Arch Phys Med Rehabil
1992;73:424-30.
- Go BK, DeVivo MJ, Richards JS. The epidemiology of
spinal cord injury. In: Spinal cord injury: clinical
outcomes from the model systems. Stover SL, DeLisa JA,
Whiteneck GG, eds. Gaithersburg, Maryland: Aspen
Publishers, Inc. 1995; 21-55.
- Facts and Figures at a glance. May, 2001. National
Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.
- Nobunago AI, Go BK, Karunas RB. Recent demographic and
injury trends in people served by the Model Spinal Cord
Injury Care System. Arch Phys Med Rehabil.
1999;80:1372-82.
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3. Life Time Costs:
Average yearly health care and living
expenses and the estimated lifetime costs that are directly
attributable to SCI vary greatly according to severity of
injury:
Average Yearly Expenses
(in 1999 dollars)
| Severity of Injury |
First Year |
Each Subsequent Year |
| High Tetraplegia (C1-C4) |
$572,178 |
$102,491 |
| Low Tetraplegia (C5-C8) |
$369,488 |
$41,983 |
| Paraplegia |
$209,074 |
$21,274 |
| Incomplete Motor
Functional at any Level |
$168,627 |
$11,817 |
Estimated lifetime
costs by Age at Injury
(discounted at 2%)
| Severity of Injury
|
25 years old |
50 years old |
| High Tetraplegia (C1-C4) |
$2,185,667 |
$1,286,714 |
| Low Tetraplegia (C5-C8) |
$1,235,841 |
$782,628 |
| Paraplegia |
$730,277 |
$498,095 |
| Incomplete Motor
Functional at any Level |
$487,150 |
$353,047 |
These figures do not include any
indirect costs such as losses in wages, fringe benefits and
productivity which could average almost $49,312 but vary
substantially based on education, severity of injury and
pre-injury employment history.
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Disclaimer: (Please Read)
The information contained on this web site is not intended or
implied to be a substitute for professional medical or legal
advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified
health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any
questions you may have regarding a medical condition and a qualified
attorney for legal proceedings.
The Above information is supplied by "The
National Spinal Cord Injury Association
(NSCIA) web
site.
The National Spinal Cord Injury
Association (NSCIA)
does not directly or indirectly practice
medicine or dispense medical services or medical advice. NSCIA
does not assume any liability for the information and data contained
in this web site or for any diagnosis or treatment made in reliance
thereon
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