Estimating the incidence and prevalence of traumatic spinal cord injury in Australia.

Abstract

Objective: Determine estimates of the incidence and prevalence of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in Australia at 30th June 2011. Design: Population modeling using cohort survival. Participants: Hospital data regarding people with TSCI in Australia. Interventions: Modeling using the following data: two population-based databases of hospital separations of patients with TSCI, giving upper and lower estimates of incidence; National population profiles and life tables; levels of TSCI based on Australian SCI Registry; and life expectancy for persons with SCI under three scenarios: one constant and two with a trend standard mortality ratio (SMR). Main outcome measures: Age- and sex-specific incidence and prevalence estimates. Results: The lower estimate of incidence was 21.0/million/population/year and the upper estimate was 32.3/million population/year. The derived prevalence rates ranged from 490/million population (10,944 persons – lower incidence, trend SMR with survival from 1948) up to 886/million population (19,784 persons – higher incidence, constant SMR). The prevalence was highest in males, persons aged 46 – 60 years, and those with tetraplegia. Conclusion: We have reported a method for calculating an estimate of the prevalence of TSCI which provides information that will be vital to optimize health care planning for this group of highly disabled members of society.