SPINAL CORD INJURY INFORMATION

• There are an estimated 250,000 spinal cord injured (SCI) individuals living in the United States. On average, 11,000 new injuries are reported every year.
• Paraplegia (losses of movement and sensation in the lower body) affects 55% of the SCI population, and 44% are affected by quadriplegia (losses of movement and sensation in both the arms and legs).
• Vehicular accidents cause 40% of these spinal cord injuries. One-quarter (25%) are the result of violence and 21% are the result of falls. Diving accidents account for 10% of these injuries. The remaining (4%) spinal cord injuries result from either work-related or sports-related accidents.
• More than half (60%) of the SCI population were injured between the ages of 16 and 30; the most frequently occurring age at injury is 19. Almost three-quarters (70%) are male and half (50%) are married. The majority (90%) of SCI individuals survive and live near-normal life spans.

• Initial hospitalization (an average of 100 days), adaptive equipment and home modification costs following injury average $140,000.
• Additional lifetime costs incurred by SCI individuals average $600,000 and can reach as high as $1.35 million depending on the severity of injury and the age at which injury occurred.
• In 1992, there were 10,000 reported spinal cord injuries nationwide. The lifetime costs associated with these injuries are projected to total $10 billion.
• By developing therapies for those who are already spinal cord injured, and preventing new injuries, the United States would save as much as $400 billion on future direct and indirect SCI lifetime costs.