Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severely debilitating condition that is
characterized by mobility limitations, excessive dependence on others
and a diminished health-related quality of life.1 Vehicular accidents,
falls and violence are the top three causes of SCIs, and together they
account for 480% of injuries.2 The incidence of SCIs in the United
States has been estimated to be roughly 40 cases per million
population or 12 000 cases per year.2 Males are almost four times
more likely to sustain SCIs than females.2 SCIs are associated with a
significant economic burden. The total annual costs attributable to
SCIs are B$9.7 billion in the United States, including $2.6 billion in
lost productivity costs.3
Hospitalization is a critical component of treatment for SCIs.
Nearly all patients who incur a SCI and survive the initial trauma
undergo hospitalization for stabilization of the injury and prevention
of immediate complications.4 Rehospitalizations because of complications
of SCI are also common among patients with SCI.5 Given
these facts, it is not surprising that hospitalizations account
for a large proportion of the medical costs associated with SCIs.5
An understanding of the hospitalization burden is important for
the purpose of resource allocation. Some studies in the past
have investigated the inpatient utilization associated with SCIs