Secondary Health Conditions

Secondary health conditions present challenges to health maintenance for people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Common secondary conditions associated with SCI include:

Autonomic dysreflexia Bladder dysfunction (e.g., urinary tract infections) Bone complications (e.g., fractures) Bowel dysfunction (e.g., constipation) Pain (neuropathic, musckuloskeletal, visceral) Pressure ulcers Respiratory complications  Sexual dysfunction  Spasticity

Given that persons with SCI now have comparable life-spans to that of the able-bodied (AB) population, they may also experience typical age-related and ‘normative’ health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, fatigue, etc. As a result of these health problems, it is not surprising that people with SCI have greater rates of health care utilization and re-hospitalization compared to the AB population.  In addition to the economic burden, secondary health conditions impact on the quality of life of individuals with SCI in multiple ways.

SCI HEALTH RESOURCES

Spinal Cord Essentials – is a patient education initiative which aims help people through rehabilitation following SCI.  Below are the downloadable PDFs of the SCI handouts.  

• What is a Spinal Cord Injury
• My Diagnosis and Outcomes
• 100,000 Km Tune-Up

Key References:

Noreau L, Proulx P, Gagnon L, Drolet M, Laramee MT. Secondary impairments after spinal cord injury: a population-based study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2000;79:526-35.

Bloemen-Vrencken J, Post M, Hendriks J, De Reus E, De Witte L. Health problems of persons with spinal cord injury living in the Netherlands. Disabil Rehabil 2005;27:1381-9.

Hitzig SL, Campbell KA, McGillivray CF, Boschen KA, Craven BC. Understanding Age Effects Associated with Changes in Secondary Health Conditions in a Canadian Spinal Cord Injury Cohort. Spinal Cord 2010;48:330-5.

Dryden DM, Saunders LD, Jacobs P, Schopflocher DP, Rowe BH, May LA, Yiannakoulias N, Svenson LW, Voaklander DC. Direct health care costs after traumatic spinal cord injury. J Trauma 2005;59:443-9

Dryden DM, Saunders LD, Rowe BH, May LA, Yiannakoulias N, Svenson LW, Schopflocher DP, Voaklander DC. Utilization of Health Services Following Spinal Cord Injury: a 6-Year Follow-up Study. Spinal Cord 2004;42:513-25

Guilcher SJ, Munce SE, Couris CM, Fung K, Craven BC, Verrier M, Jaglal SB.  Health care utilization in non-traumatic and traumatic spinal cord injury: a population-based study. Spinal Cord. 2010 Jan;48:45-50.

Jaglal SB, Munce SE, Guilcher SJ, Couris CM, Fung K, Craven BC, Verrier M. Health system factors associated with rehospitalizations after traumatic spinal cord injury: a population-based study. Spinal Cord. 2009;47:604-9.

Donnelly C, McColl MA, Charlifue S, Glass C, O’Brien P, Savic G, Smith K. Utilization, access and satisfaction with primary care among people with spinal cord injuries: a comparison of three countries. Spinal Cord 2007;45:25-36.

Hitzig SL, Tonack M, Campbell KA, McGillivray CF, Boschen KA, Richards K et al. Secondary health complications in an aging Canadian spinal cord injury sample. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2008;87:545-55.