Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a catastrophic event that is
sudden and unexpected and can be devastating and costly in human
and social terms. TSCI in developed (high income) and developing
countries primarily affects males aged 18–32 years, and in developed
countries, due to an ageing population, males and females over the
age of 65 years. Globally, information on the number of people living
with TSCI (prevalence) as well as the number of new cases annually
(incidence) is minimal, particularly in developing countries,
hindering injury prevention, health care and other social planning.
This paper updates the epidemiological information available
primarily from published papers and reports, provides ranked data
for statistical extrapolation and highlights issues relevant to decreasing
the health-care burden of TSCI globally.1,2 The high societal costs in
developed countries, the high mortality rate in developing countries
and the geographic spread in aetiology emphasise the importance of
regionally targeted primary and secondary prevention programs