Difficulty Obtaining Daily Necessities and Difficulty Obtaining SCI Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among People With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the self-reported difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), and to identify the factors measured prior the pandemic that predict the number of difficulties obtaining daily necessities and difficulties obtaining SCI services during the pandemic. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: A state SCI outcomes follow-up database in the southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: 297 participants (N=297) met the following eligibility criteria: (1) ≥18 years of age, (2) traumatic SCI, (3) minimum of 1-year post-injury, and (4) having completed a longitudinal study questionnaire immediately prior to the pandemic (between 12/1/2019 and 03/11/2020). INTERVENTIONS: N/A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The outcome measures were the self-reported number of difficulties obtaining daily necessities (difficulties to get food, medication, and routine medical/dental care) and difficulties obtaining SCI services during the pandemic (difficulties to get treatment for SCI-related problems, to maintain regular SCI equipment, and to get SCI supplies). RESULTS: Among 297 eligible participants, 247 (83%) have completed the follow-up during the pandemic between December 2020 and December 2021. There were 22% participants having at least 1 difficulty obtaining daily necessities and 19% participants having at least 1 difficulty obtaining SCI services. Younger, ambulatory participants, cervical 1-4 injury level, lower household income, more health conditions, and no routine health care access prior to the pandemic were associated with greater number of difficulties obtaining daily necessities. Women, non-ambulatory participants, marital relation, having need for physical assistance, more health conditions, and no routine health care access prior to the pandemic related to greater number of difficulties obtaining SCI services. CONCLUSIONS: People with SCI have experienced living difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular importance, no routine health care access and more health conditions are related to more difficulties obtaining both daily necessities and SCI services after controlling the socio-demographics and injury characteristics.

Longitudinal Comparisons in Health, Participation, Life Satisfaction, and Depressive Symptoms From Pre- to Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Among People With Spinal Cord Injuries.

OBJECTIVE: To identify changes in health, health care utilization, participation, life satisfaction, and depressive symptoms from before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to after among ambulatory and nonambulatory participants with spinal cord injury. DESIGN: Longitudinal study with the first measurement taken within 3 months prior to pandemic restrictions and 2 follow-ups at approximately 1-year intervals. SETTING: Medical university. PARTICIPANTS: Adult participants (N=219) with spinal cord injury, including ambulatory (n=155) and nonambulatory (n=64). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-report assessment of health outcomes from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; health service utilization including physician visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations; items from the Craig Handicap Assessment Reporting Technique; 3 life satisfaction scales from the Life Situation Questionnaire; and the brief version of the Patient Health Questionnaire. RESULTS: After using a z score correction for nonnormality, none of the time effects or interaction effects of time by ambulatory status were significant. Six comparisons between ambulatory and nonambulatory were statistically significant. Ambulatory participants reported 3 more days in poor physical health (P=.02; statistically significant) and 2 more days feeling worried, tense, or anxious in the last 30 days (P=.03). They visited the emergency department on 0.3 fewer occasions (P=.02) while reporting leaving the house 1 more day every week (P=.02), 2 hours more of sitting tolerance (P<.01), and 1 higher score of vocational satisfaction (P=.03). CONCLUSIONS: The absence of statistically significant changes from before to after the pandemic and the absence of time by ambulatory status interactions suggest stability of outcomes, even in the presence of pandemic challenges.

Relations Between Self-Reported Prescription Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and Tramadol Use and Unintentional Injuries Among Those With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the relations of 3 frequently used prescription opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol) with unintentional injuries, including fall-related and non-fall-related injuries among adults with chronic, traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study. SETTING: Community setting; Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Adult participants (N=918) with chronic traumatic SCI were identified from a specialty hospital and state population-based registry and completed a self-report assessment. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported fall-related and non-fall-related unintentional injuries serious enough to receive medical care in a clinic, emergency room, or hospital within the previous 12 months. RESULTS: Just over 20% of participants reported ≥1 unintentional injury in the past year, with an average of 2.16 among those with ≥1. Overall, 9.6% reported fall-related injuries. Only hydrocodone was associated with any past-year unintentional injuries. Hydrocodone taken occasionally (no more than monthly) or regularly (weekly or daily) was related to 2.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-4.56) or 2.03 (95% CI, 1.15-3.60) greater odds of having ≥1 unintentional injury in the past year, respectively. Hydrocodone taken occasionally was also associated with past-year non-fall-related injuries (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.12-4.31). Each of the 3 opioids was significantly related to fall-related injuries. Taking hydrocodone occasionally was associated with 2.39 greater odds of fall-related injuries, and regular use was associated with 2.31 greater odds. Regular use of oxycodone was associated with 2.44 odds of a fall-related injury (95% CI, 1.20-4.98), and regular use of tramadol was associated with 2.59 greater odds of fall-related injury (95% CI, 1.13-5.90). CONCLUSIONS: Injury prevention efforts must consider the potential effect of opioid use, particularly hydrocodone. For preventing fall-related injuries, each of the 3 opioids must be considered.

Relationships of Self-reported Opioid Use and Misuse and Pain Severity With Probable Major Depression Among Participants With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relations of pain intensity, opioid use, and opioid misuse with depressive symptom severity and probable major depression (PMD) among participants with spinal cord injuries (SCI), controlling for demographic, injury, and socioeconomic characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Medical University in the Southeastern United States (US). PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=918) were identified from 1 of 2 sources including a specialty hospital and a state-based surveillance system in the Southeastern US. Participants were a minimum of 18 years old at enrollment and had SCI with non-complete recovery. Participants were on average 57.5 years old at the time of the study and an average of 24.4 years post SCI onset. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed a self-report assessment that included frequency of prescription opioid use and misuse, based on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the PHQ - 9 to measure depressive symptom severity and PMD. RESULTS: Opioid use, opioid misuse, and pain intensity were related to elevated depressive symptom severity and higher odds of PMD. Non-Hispanic Blacks had fewer depressive symptoms and lower odds of PMD, as did those with higher incomes. Veterans had lower risk of PMD, whereas ambulatory participants had a higher risk of PMD. Age at SCI onset had a mixed pattern of significance, whereas years of education and years since injury were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The relation between pain intensity with depressive symptom severity and PMD was profound, consistent with the biopsychosocial model of pain. The greater risk of PMD and higher depressive symptom severity among those using opioids and misusing opioids raises further concern about long-term prescription opioid use. Alternative treatments are needed.

Longitudinal changes in employment, health, participation, and quality-of-life and the relationships with long-term survival after spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To identify five-year longitudinal changes in employment, health, participation, and quality-of-life outcomes (QOL) among participants with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) and to compare the amount of change in these outcomes between those surviving and those not surviving until follow-up. METHODS: Participants were 1157 individuals from the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study, who have completed at least two self-report assessments separated by five-year intervals. The main outcome measures were 13 indicators related to employment, health, participation, and QOL/psychosocial indicators. Survival status measured at follow-up. RESULTS: Those who survived to follow up had a history indicating a greater likelihood of employment, better health, participation, and QOL/psychosocial indicators. Among survivors, longitudinal declines were limited to the percent employed and participation indicators, whereas those deceased by follow-up had significant undesirable changes in employment, participation, health, and QOL/psychosocial indicators. More specifically, compared to the survivors, those deceased by follow-up experienced a greater increase in hospitalizations, decreases in nights away from home, and declines in global satisfaction over the five-year interval. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal declines in employment and some aspects of participation are common among long-term survivors and may be part of the natural course of outcomes after SCI. However, more dramatic increases in hospitalizations, fewer nights away from home, and declining satisfaction may be red flags for declining longevity.

The Relationship of Secondary and Chronic Health Conditions With Emergency Department Visits and Related Hospitalizations Among People With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: Identify the relationship of health conditions with self-reported emergency department (ED) visits and ED-related hospitalizations among people with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), while controlling for demographic, injury, and socioeconomic factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: A regional SCI model system in the Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=648) were adults with chronic traumatic SCI at least 1 year postinjury who were identified through their Form II annual follow-up within the SCI Model Systems. INTERVENTIONS: N/A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported ED visits and ED-related hospitalizations within the 12 months prior to the study. RESULTS: Several types of factors were significantly related to ED visits, with fewer related to ED hospitalizations. Men (odds ratio [OR]=1.58); those divorced, widowed, or separated (OR=1.57); and those with more severe SCI (C1-C4, or American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A/B) had greater odds of having at least 1 ED visit; education and employment factors were not significant. Of health conditions, acute secondary health conditions including falls (OR=1.45), urinary tract infections (UTIs; OR=2.40), and pressure injuries (OR=1.58) were all associated with a greater odds of ED visits, whereas chronic health conditions were not. Being unemployed was associated with greater odds of an ED hospitalization (OR=1.79), as was having at least 1 UTI (OR=2.24) and at least 1 pressure injury (OR=2.37). CONCLUSIONS: The current findings suggest acute secondary health conditions, particularly UTIs and pressure injuries, were much more highly related to ED visits and related hospitalizations compared to chronic health conditions (eg, diabetes, hypertension). Greater attention needs to be paid to fall, UTI, and pressure injury prevention to reduce the ED burden related to SCI.

Staying Pressure Injury Free: The Role of Modifiable Behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of behavioral factors with retrospective reports of staying free from pressure injuries (PIs) during a 12-month period for people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Data collection was completed at an academic medical center in the Southeastern United States in collaboration with a specialized treatment center and 2 public health registries that use population-based approaches to identify all incident cases of SCI within the state. PARTICIPANTS: The participant cohort was composed of 3817 adults (N=3817) with traumatic SCI of at least 1-year duration. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported recall of staying PI-free for 12 months vs having 1 or more PIs. RESULTS: Among the 3817 participants, 74% were male, 76% were non-Hispanic White, and mean age was 48 years, with an average of 12 years post SCI. Based on self-report assessment, 67% reported being PI-free in the past year. After controlling for the demographic and injury characteristics, we found that those in the clinical cohort and those who reported healthy diets and planned exercise at least once a week were more likely to be PI-free; being underweight and high frequency of prescription medication use for spasticity, pain, and depression were negatively associated with being PI-free. Smoking, alcohol use, nonmedical substance use, and prescription medication misuse were not statistically significant in the multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: There are several significant behavioral predictors of being PI-free, and consideration of these factors may be used to develop tailored strategies to promote healthy skin maintenance and the prevention of multiple, severe, and recurrent PI.

Life Satisfaction in Individuals With Long-Term Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: An Investigation of Associated Biopsychosocial Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate relationships between self-reported biological, psychological, and social factors and global, vocational, and home life satisfaction in individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) an average of more than 30 years postinjury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analyses of self-report assessment data. SETTING: Specialty and university hospitals in the southeastern and midwestern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with a history of traumatic SCI (n=546) who responded to the most recent data collection period of the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study (2018-2019) and who were at least 2 years postinjury and at least 18 years or older at initial study enrollment. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Global life satisfaction, home life satisfaction, and vocational life satisfaction as measured by the Life Situation Questionnaire-Revised. RESULTS: Taken together, the biopsychosocial variables explained 55.1% of the variance in global life satisfaction. Less severe depressive symptoms, greater emotional social support, and greater instrumental social support were significantly associated with greater global life satisfaction. Together, the independent variables explained 50.7% of the variance in home life satisfaction. Being in a relationship, having less severe depressive symptoms, having greater emotional social support, and having greater instrumental social support were significantly associated with home life satisfaction. Together, the independent variables explained 44.8% of the variance in vocational satisfaction. Being White, non-Hispanic, having more years of education, being in a relationship, having less severe depressive symptoms, and having greater emotional social support were significantly associated with greater vocational satisfaction. CONCLUSION: These results support the need to assess psychological symptoms and available social support as potential modifiable factors related to several domains of life satisfaction in this aging population. Improving psychological symptoms and strengthening available social support may relate to improved life satisfaction.

Psychoactive Substance Use Among Individuals With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: Patterns and Characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the patterns of nonprescription psychoactive substance (PAS) use among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) and the relationships with demographic and injury characteristics. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, self-report assessment (SRA). SETTING: A medical university in the southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: The participants (N=4670) were identified through a specialty hospital and 2 state-based surveillance registries. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed SRAs and reported the past 3 months' use of the following substances for which they did not have a prescription: cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, inhalants, sedatives/hypnotics and sleeping pills, hallucinogens, and opioids. PAS use was grouped into 4 categories: none, cannabis use only, use of cannabis and other PAS, and use of other PAS only. RESULTS: Of the 4577 participants who responded to the PAS use questions, 24.1% reported using at least 1 PAS without a prescription. Cannabis was the most frequently reported substance (16.4%), followed by sedatives or sleeping pills (8.0%). By PAS use group, 12.1% reported use of cannabis use only, followed by use of other PAS only (7.7%) and use of cannabis and other PAS (4.3%). There were significant differences among the groups of use by nearly all personal characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The use of nonprescription PASs is prevalent among adults with chronic SCI, and there are clear differences in patterns and characteristics of use.

Rehospitalization During the First 5 Years After the Onset of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Population-Based Study Using Administrative Billing Records.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to identify the number, length of stay, and charges of rehospitalizations during the subsequent 5 years after discharge from the initial hospitalization by using administrative billing records from a population-based cohort with spinal cord injury (SCI) in the southeastern United States. DESIGN: Analysis of administrative billing data. SETTING: State-based surveillance data analyzed by an academic medical center in the southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1872 individuals (N=1872) from a state-based surveillance system in the southeastern United States whose onset was between January 1, 1998, and January 1, 2010. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome measures were the number of rehospitalization episodes, length of stay, and total hospital charges for each episode of rehospitalization. RESULTS: Seventy percent of participants were rehospitalized during the first 5 years after initial discharge, and the highest rehospitalization rates were in the first year (54%), being relatively stable in years 2-5 (21%-22%). Adjusted to 2019 US dollars, the average total rehospitalization charges were $214,716 per person during the 5 years. Participants who could walk independently had fewer rehospitalizations, fewer rehospitalization days, and less rehospitalization charges than the nonambulatory participants. College education was also associated with less rehospitalization charges. CONCLUSIONS: Rehospitalization is a significant cost after SCI. Further longitudinal study on the population cohorts and billing data are needed to quantify these changes over time.

Mediating Effects of Pain Interference on the Relationships Between Pain Intensity and Probable Major Depression Among Participants With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether pain interference mediates the relationship between pain intensity and probable major depression (PMD) among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), accounting for differences in the frequency of prescription medication use and resilience. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis using self-report assessment. SETTING: Medical university in the Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: There were a total of 4670 participants (N=4670), all of whom had traumatic SCI of at least 1-year duration, identified from the Southeastern Regional SCI Model System and 2 state-based surveillance systems. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to define PMD. Covariates included demographic and injury characteristics, pain severity, pain interference, and resilience. Separate sets of multistage logistic regression analyses were conducted for 3 levels of prescription pain medication use (daily, occasional/weekly, none). RESULTS: Pain intensity was related to a greater risk of PMD (odds ratio [OR]daily pain medication user, 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.35; ORoccasional/weekly pain medication user, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.16-1.36; ORnonpain medication user, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.33-1.56), but this relationship disappeared after consideration of pain interference (ORdaily pain medication user, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90-1.04; ORoccasional/weekly pain medication user, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.84-1.05; ORnonpain medication user, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.95-1.20), which indicates pain interference was a mediator between pain intensity and PMD and there was no direct relationship between pain intensity and PMD. Resilience was protective of PMD in each model but was not a mediator. CONCLUSIONS: Although pain intensity was associated with PMD, the relationship was mediated by pain interference. Resilience was an important protective factor. Therefore, clinicians should assess pain interference when screening for PMD and direct treatment at reducing pain interference. Building resilience may further reduce the risk of PMD.

Emergency Department Visits, Related Hospitalizations, and Reasons for Emergency Department Utilization After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the self-reported frequency of emergency department (ED) visits, ED-related hospitalizations, and reasons for ED visits among people with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and compare them with general population data from the same geographic area. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: A specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: The participants (N=648) were community-dwelling adults (18 years and older) with a traumatic SCI, who were at least 1 year postinjury. A comparison group of 9728 individuals from the general population was retrieved from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed self-report assessments on ED visits, ED hospitalizations, and reasons for ED visits in the past 12 months using items from the NHIS. RESULTS: A total of 37% of participants with SCI reported at least 1 ED visit, and 18% reported at least 1 ED hospitalization in the past 12 months. Among those having at least 1 ED visit, 49% were admitted to hospitals. After controlling for sex, age, and race/ethnicity, participants with SCI were 151% more likely to visit the ED (odds ratio [OR], 2.51) and 249% more likely to have at least 1 ED hospitalization than the NHIS sample (OR, 3.49). Persons with SCI had a higher percentage of ED visits because of severe health conditions, reported an ED was the closest provider, and were more likely to arrive by ambulance. NHIS participants were more likely to visit the ED because no other option was available. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with those in the general population, individuals with SCI have substantially higher rates of ED visits, yet ED visits are not regularly assessed within the SCI Model Systems. ED visits may indicate the need for intervention beyond the acute condition leading directly to the ED visits and an opportunity to link individuals with resources needed to maintain function in the community.

Job Retention Among Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: Relationship With Prediagnostic Employment and Education; Demographic Characteristics; and Disease Course, Severity, and Complications.

OBJECTIVE: To identify how prediagnosis employment, education, demographic statuses, and disease factors relate to job retention among people with multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN: Cross-sectional logit model. SETTING: Data were collected at an academic Medical University and a specialty hospital, both in the Southeastern US. PARTICIPANTS: People with MS (N=1126) who were employed at the time of MS diagnosis. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Job retention was measured by employment status at the time of follow-up assessment. RESULTS: Prediagnostic educational attainment was predictive of job retention. Among several prediagnostic employment characteristics, only working in production, transportation, and material moving was significantly related to a lower odds of job retention compared with those working in professional/managerial occupations. Aging factors were strongly related to job retention, with declines in job retention observed with increasing age and years since diagnosis. Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic participants reported lower odds of job retention than non-Hispanic White participants, although there were no observed effects of sex. A significantly lower job retention rate was observed among those with progressive MS, compared with relapsing-remitting. Job retention was also less likely among people with greater MS severity and fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Job retention strategies and interventions should target people with greater MS complications and severity, as well as non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic persons, because these characteristics are more highly related to job retention than our prediagnostic employment and vocational history.

Mortality Beyond the First Year After Spinal Cord Injury: Does Body Mass Index Matter?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between body mass index (BMI [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared]) and mortality after the first year post spinal cord injury (SCI) overall and across demographic and injury characteristics. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Sixteen Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) centers. PARTICIPANTS: SCIMS Database participants age 20 years or older and having a BMI assessment during the 2007-2011 wave of data collection. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause mortality rate. Life table method and log-rank test were used to estimate and compare mortality rates across BMI groups and other factors. Cox proportional hazard regression model was conducted to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: A total of 2346 participants (N=2346) with SCI were classified into 1 of the 8 BMI groups: <18.5 (6.9%), 18.5-19.9 (7.3%), 20.0-22.49 (15.0%), 22.5-24.9 (18.8%), 25.0-27.49 (17.5%), 27.5-29.9 (13.2%), 30.0-34.9 (13.5%), and ≥35.0 (7.8%). Compared with people with BMI of 22.5-29.9, a higher mortality risk was observed among people with BMI<18.5 (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.25-2.49), 18.5-19.9 (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.06-2.15), and ≥35.0 (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.11-2.07) after adjusting for confounding factors (sex, age at the time of BMI assessment, marital status, neurologic status). The U-shape BMI-mortality relationship varied by age, sex, neurologic status, and years since injury. CONCLUSIONS: To improve life expectancy after SCI, health care professionals could focus on weight management among patients with relatively low and extremely high BMI, defined by demographic and injury-related characteristics. Future studies should explore factors that contribute to such a higher mortality after SCI, including pre-existing conditions, poor diet and/or nutrition, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

The relationship between health behaviors and emergency department visits and hospitalizations after traumatic spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE: To identify demographic, injury, and behavioral predictors of emergency department (ED) visits and ED-related hospitalizations among individuals with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: An academic medical center in the Southeastern United States. METHODS: 4057 participants who were at least 18 years of age and 1 year post traumatic SCI with residual neurologic impairment were identified from three cohorts: a rehabilitation specialty hospital in the Southeastern USA and two SCI Surveillance System Registries, one in the Midwestern and one in the Southeastern USA. The participants completed a self-reported assessment on ED visits and ED hospitalizations (yes/no) in the past 12 months. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between ED visits/hospitalizations and eight behavioral indicators, including body weight, healthy diet, drinking, smoking, non-medical substance usage, prescription medication usage, prescription medication misuse, and the planned exercise. RESULTS: During the study period, 41% of participants reported having at least one ED visit and 21% participants reported hospitalization after ED visit in the past 12 months. High frequency of prescription medication usage, prescription medication misuse, and lack of planned exercise were associated with greater odds of at least one ED visit and at least one ED-related hospitalization, while smoking was only associated with ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: Health care professionals should be aware that ED visit and related hospitalization prevalence remain high among people with chronic SCI, and there is significant need for intervention of managing risk behaviors and promoting healthy behaviors after SCI.

Social participation as a mediator of the relationships of socioeconomic factors and longevity after traumatic spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. OBJECTIVE: Previous research has indicated that socioeconomic factors affect longevity after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Our purpose was to evaluate whether social participation mediates the relationship between socioeconomic factors and survival status after SCI. SETTING: Medical university in the southeastern United States. METHODS: Participants (N = 1540) met the following inclusion criteria: traumatic SCI of at least 1-year duration, minimum of 18 years of age, and having residual impairment from SCI. The main outcome measures were a) survival status as of December 31, 2019, identified by the National Death Index (NDI) search, b) socioeconomic status (SES), measured by education, employment status, and family income, and c) participation, measured by marital/relationship status, hours out of bed per day, days leaving home per week, and nights away home during the past year. RESULTS: Thirty nine percent of participants (n = 602) were decreased by the end of 2019. Socioeconomic factors were associated with longevity controlling for demographic, injury characteristics, and health status. However, the association of SES with longevity was mediated by three social participation mobility indicators (hours out of bed, days out of house, and nights away from home), such that SES was no longer significantly related to longevity after inclusion of the participation variables. CONCLUSIONS: Although socioeconomic factors are related to longevity, their relationship appears to be mediated by social participation mobility indicators. Intervention studies are needed to address the modifiable factors that may promote longevity, including promoting an active lifestyle.

The primary and secondary causes of hospitalizations during the first five years after spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. Retrospective analysis of uniform billing discharge data (UB-04). OBJECTIVES: To compare and contrast the primary and secondary causes of hospitalization by type of admission, emergency department (ED) versus inpatient only (IP), during the first five years after the traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Academic Medical University in the Southeastern USA. METHODS: At total of 2569 adults with traumatic SCI were identified from a population-based registry and matched to billing data. The main outcome measures were primary and secondary diagnoses associated with hospital admissions in non-federal, state hospitals. RESULTS: Overall, there were 9733 hospital admissions in the five years after SCI onset, not including the initial hospitalization; 53% were admissions through the ED. The primary causes of hospitalizations after SCI varied by year post injury and admission type (ED versus IP). The top 15 secondary diagnoses included several secondary health conditions associated with SCI, as well as chronic health conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation diagnoses were much more prominent during the first year, compared with subsequent years. Septicemia was the leading cause of admissions through the ED, whereas chronic ulcers of the skin were prominent for IP only admissions. This is consistent with the acute nature of septicemia compared with more planned hospitalization for rehabilitation and skin ulcers. These conditions should be targeted for prevention strategies that include patient/family education and early and appropriate access to primary care.

Psychological morbidity following spinal cord injury and among those without spinal cord injury: the impact of chronic centralized and neuropathic pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study of privately insured beneficiaries with and without traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). OBJECTIVES: Compare the incidence of and adjusted hazards for psychological morbidities among adults with and without traumatic SCI, and examine the effect of chronic centralized and neuropathic pain on outcomes. SETTING: Privately insured beneficiaries were included if they had an ICD-9-CM diagnostic code for traumatic SCI (n = 9081). Adults without SCI were also included (n = 1,474,232). METHODS: Incidence of common psychological morbidities were compared at 5-years of enrollment. Survival models were used to quantify unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios for incident psychological morbidities. RESULTS: Adults with SCI had a higher incidence of any psychological morbidity (59.1% vs. 30.9%) as compared to adults without SCI, and differences were to a clinically meaningful extent. Survival models demonstrated that adults with SCI had a greater hazard for any psychological morbidity (HR: 1.67; 95%CI: 1.61, 1.74), and all but one psychological disorder (impulse control disorders), and ranged from HR: 1.31 (1.24, 1.39) for insomnia to HR: 2.10 (1.77, 2.49) for post-traumatic stress disorder. Centralized and neuropathic pain was associated with all psychological disorders, and ranged from HR: 1.31 (1.23, 1.39) for dementia to HR: 3.83 (3.10, 3.68) for anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with SCI have a higher incidence of and risk for common psychological morbidities, as compared to adults without SCI. Efforts are needed to facilitate the development of early interventions to reduce risk of chronic centralized and neuropathic pain and psychological morbidity onset/progression in this higher risk population.

Differences in functional improvement based on history of substance abuse and pain severity following spinal cord injury.

Background: This study explored the relationship between history of substance abuse and pain severity during inpatient rehabilitation following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal study. An adjusted general linear model was used to examine differences in functional improvement based on history of substance abuse and pain severity. Results: Over 50% of the sample had a history of substance abuse, and 94% reported moderate or severe pain. There was a significant interaction between the history of substance abuse and pain severity (p = 0.01, partial η2 = 0.012). A difference in functional improvement was found among individuals who reported low pain; those with a history of substance abuse achieved less functional improvement than those without a history of substance abuse, M = 5.32, SE = 1.95, 95% CI 0.64-10.01. Conclusions: A history of substance abuse and post-injury pain are prevalent among individuals with SCI in rehabilitation, and there may be a meaningful relationship between these two patient characteristics and functional improvement. The results provide potential new insights into the characteristics of vulnerable subpopulations during SCI rehabilitation. Furthering our understanding of these results warrants future investigation to prevent and minimize poor outcomes among vulnerable SCI patients.

Twenty-Five-Year Cross-sequential Analysis of Self-reported Problems: Findings From 5 Cohorts From the Spinal Cord Injury Longitudinal Aging Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how self-reported problems change over time among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sequential analysis. SETTING: Medical university in the Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 1997 individuals with traumatic SCI of at least 1-year duration who were identified from participation in the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study from 1993-2018. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes analyzed were 6 problem factors defined as health, social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, money, and lack of opportunities. A series of cross-sequential models, using PROC MIXED procedure, were developed to evaluate the initial and change of the 6 problem factors over the 6 times of measurements in 25 years. RESULTS: Years post injury was negatively associated with initial status of problems of social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, and lack of opportunities because participants with more years post injury at baseline reported lower scores on each factor. Longitudinally, with increased years post injury, higher scores were observed on the health problem factor. However, problems of social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, money, and lack of opportunities decreased over time with increasing years post injury. CONCLUSIONS: Participants had more health problems with increasing years after SCI, but fewer problems of social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, money, and lack of opportunities.