The number and rate of new cases of spinal cord injury (SCI),
and the reasons behind them have changed very little in recent
years, according to the latest report from the Australian Institute
of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The report, Spinal cord injury, Australia 2004-05,
presents national statistics on 381 new cases of persisting spinal
cord injury from traumatic causes and disease.
For the 280 traumatic cases of spinal cord injury,
transport-related injuries, falls and sports-related injuries
accounted for 49%, 29% and 16% respectively during 2004-05.
Of the 108 cases involving traffic, 67 were vehicle occupants
and 41 were unprotected road users, including 36 who were
motorcyclists.
Falls led to 82 cases of persisting spinal cord injury. About
two-thirds of these were falls from a height of 1 metre or higher,
and largely involved males aged 15 to 64 years. Most of these falls
occurred while working, during either paid or unpaid work.
Falls from one metre or less led to spinal cord injury in 29
cases - 66% of these involving people aged 65 years or older.
Sporting activities most frequently linked to SCI are trail bike
and motocross racing and diving and surfing.
Dr Raymond Cripps of the AIHW's National Injury Surveillance
Unit said while spinal cord injury is uncommon, personal and health
system costs are high.
'In 2004-05 the average duration of initial care following
persisting spinal cord injury was almost five months,' Dr Cripps
said.
'Additionally, most cases of persisting spinal cord injury occur
at young ages (25% of new cases registered in 2004-05 were at ages
15 to 24 years) and, provided initial injury is survived, life
expectancy is generally long,' he said.
The vast majority of cases (82%) involved males.
The Australian Spinal Cord Injury Register, established and
operated by the AIHW National Injury Surveillance Unit in
collaboration with State spinal units, is the only national
register of its kind in the world.
14 September 2006
Further information: Dr Raymond Cripps, AIHW,
tel. 08 8201 7602.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of the Spinal cord injury,
Australia 2004-05 report.