Secondary conditions following spinal cord injury in a population-based sample (original) (raw)

Spinal Cord volume 36, pages 45–50 (1998) Cite this article

Abstract

This prospective study investigates the frequency of both medical and non-medical complications reported by the population based cohort of SCI survivors reported to the Colorado Spinal Cord Injury Early Notification System (ENS). Persons reported to the ENS between January 1 1986 and December 31 1993, representing the broad spectrum of all severities of spinal cord injury and potential complications, were solicited to participate in comprehensive follow-up interviews at their first, third and fifth year post injury. Hospitalizations of a week or longer were experienced by more than 10% of the participants at each of the three interview years. Similarly, the medical complications of spasticity or pain were reported by more than 25% of the participants, and pressure sores were reported by more than 10% at all three time periods. The chief non-medical complications (conditions) were financial concerns and transportation problems. Although these reported medical and non-medical complications present significant obstacles to be overcome, less than three percent of those surveyed at any of the time periods reported experiencing depression; and only 14% rated their quality of life as being poor.

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  1. Craig Hospital, 3425 South Clarkson Street, Englewood, 80110, CO, USA
    Renee L Johnson, Kenneth A Gerhart, Jeannie McCray, Jean C Menconi & Gale G Whiteneck

Authors

  1. Renee L Johnson
  2. Kenneth A Gerhart
  3. Jeannie McCray
  4. Jean C Menconi
  5. Gale G Whiteneck

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Johnson, R., Gerhart, K., McCray, J. et al. Secondary conditions following spinal cord injury in a population-based sample.Spinal Cord 36, 45–50 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3100494

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