Elsevier

Surgical Neurology

Volume 40, Issue 3, September 1993, Pages 207-215
Surgical Neurology

Changes in epidemiology of acute spinal cord injury from 1947 to 1981☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-3019(93)90069-DGet rights and content

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether there have been epidemiologic changes in acute spinal cord injury. Two groups of patients injured in the same geographic area were compared: the first group of 351 patients was injured between 1947 and 1973; and the second group of 201 patients betwen 1974 and 1981. The results showed that there were indeed major epidemiologic changes in spinal cord injury between the two study periods. Most importantly, the more recently injured group were younger, arrived sooner, had less severe cord injuries, and higher frequencies of motor vehicle, and sports and recreational accidents, but fewer work-related injuries.

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    ☆

    This study was supported by a Demonstration Model Grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and a Sustaining Grant from the Canadian Paraplegic Association, Ontario Branch.

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    Copyright © 1993 Published by Elsevier Inc.