The time following a spinal cord injury can be a confusing and difficult time, both physically and emotionally. This is the time during which the patient and his or her family and caregivers will come to terms with what has happened, and will plan for the future. That is why it’s helpful if both the survivor and his or her family have some general information about spinal cord injury.
Number of Americans With Spinal Cord Injury
About 11,000 Americans sustain a spinal cord injury each year, and nearly 200,000 Americans live with a long-term disability as a result of a spinal cord injury. About 52 percent of spinal cord injury survivors are considered paraplegic, while 47 percent are considered quadriplegic.
Males are more likely than females to experience spinal cord injury, and African Americans pose a higher risk than whites. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than half of the people who sustain spinal cord injuries are between the ages of 15 and 29.
Cost of Spinal Cord Injury
Only 52 percent of spinal cord injury survivors are covered by private health insurance at the time of injury. The first year expenses for a paraplegic are, on average, $152,000, while the first year expenses for a quadriplegic are $428,000. A paraplegic who is injured at the age of 25 can expect to spend $428,000 on care throughout the course of his or her lifetime, while a quadriplegic who is injured at the same age can expect to spend $1.35 million.
Life Expectancy of People with Spinal Cord Injury
Life expectancy of spinal cord injury survivors remains slightly below that of people without spinal cord injury. Mortality rates are highest the first year following the injury, and then decrease. Common secondary complications that cause death include renal failure, pneumonia, pulmonary emboli, and septicemia.