Behavioral Factors and Unintentional Injuries after Spinal Cord Injury

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2019

Source: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Author(s): Yue Cao, Nicole DiPiro, Chao Li, Jon Roesler, James S. Krause

Abstract

Objective

Identify the relationships of behavioral factors with unintentional injuries among participants with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

Medical university in the Southeastern United States.

Participants

Participants (N = 4670) met the following inclusion criteria: traumatic SCI of at least 1-year duration, minimum of 18 years of age, and residual impairment from SCI (non-complete recovery). Of these, 2516 were identified from a specialty hospital and 2154 from population-based state surveillance systems.

Interventions

N/A.

Main Outcome Measures

Participants completed self-report assessments including multiple behavioral variables, SCI variables, and demographic characteristics. Primary outcome was unintentional injuries over the past 12 months.

Results

Twenty-three percent (n = 969) reported at least 1 unintentional injury in the past year serious enough to receive medical care in a clinic, emergency room, or hospital, and the average number of times injured was 1.82 among those with at least 1 injury. Prescription medication use for pain and depression, nonmedical medication use, use of prescription medication for purposes other than prescribed, and binge drinking were associated with a greater odds of unintentional injury. There were some differences between fall related and non-fall related unintentional injuries, with ambulation associated with greater odds of fall related injuries, but lower odds of non-fall related injuries. Participants identified through population-based systems were at greater risk of falls compared to those identified through a traditional specialty hospital.

Conclusions

Unintentional injuries were prevalent among people with SCI. After controlling for injury and demographic characteristics, multiple risk behaviors were related to the odds of unintentional injuries. Intervention studies are needed to address modifiable behaviors that may reduce the risk of injury.

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