Spinal cord injury epidemiology

1. What is the prevalence and incidence of SCI?
2. What is the most common cause of SCI? What is the most common cause in the elderly?
3. What is the most common level of tetraplegia? Paraplegia?
4. What are the demographics of SCI in terms of marital status, education, and employment?

Answers:
1. 10,000 new cases of SCI per year, prevalence is 200-250,000 cases.
2. MVAs in the general population, falls in the elderly.
3. C5 tetraplegia, T12 paraplegia.
4. SCI patients are more liely to be unemployed, single, and have fewer years of education.