Incidence rates and populations at risk for spinal cord injury: A regional study (original) (raw)

Study Design: A 6 year retrospective study was conducted. Objectives: The populations at risk for spinal cord injury (SCI) in the northwestern Kentucky (KY) and southern Indiana (IN) regions were identi®ed following examination of the causes and factors associated with SCI. Setting: The database included patients primarily from the surrounding KY and IN counties admitted to the University of Louisville (U of L) Hospital. Method: Speci®cation of SCI patient demographics, injury causes and related factors was achieved utilizing the hospital's trauma institute database and an extensive review of patient medical records. Results: An adjusted average incidence rate of 27.1 cases per million per year was obtained for this region. A high rate of SCI was found for the youngest age group, 14 ± 24 year olds, and for African Americans. A high frequency of injuries was also observed for adults between the ages of 25 ± 39 years. Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) were the leading cause of SCI. Contributing factors included alcohol and widespread non-use of vehicle safety precautions.