Psychologic factors and risk of mortality after spinal cord injury

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.

Life Satisfaction Trend and Mortality After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Cohort Study

Background

Individuals with traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) have lower subjective well-being and diminished longevity, yet there is a lack of research on how life satisfaction and changes in life satisfaction relate to longevity.

Objectives

To identify the relationships between survival status and life satisfaction and its changing trend over a 10-year period.

Methods

Data were taken from the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study. A cohort study of 676 adult participants with SCI completed three assessments separated by 5-year intervals. We applied the survival analyses by using person-year logistic regression models.

Results

There were 135 participants (20%) who were deceased by the end of 2019. After controlling for demographic and injury factors, life satisfaction was significantly related to survival. In the final model, having an upward trend of life satisfaction was significantly associated with lower odds of mortality, whereas a downward trend in life satisfaction was not significant.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate the importance of current life satisfaction and having a trend toward improving satisfaction to survival. The findings indicated the importance of psychosocial adaptation to life quality and longevity 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.

Psychological factors and risk of mortality after spinal cord injury

Objective: Identify the association of personality and purpose in life with competing risks of multiple causes of death after spinal cord injury (SCI), using data from the SCI Longitudinal Health Study. Design: Prospective cohort study with data collected in 1997-1998 and 2007-2009. Mortality status determined as of December 31, 2016. Setting: Specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States. Participants: 3070 adults with chronic (>1-year), traumatic SCI. Interventions: N/A. Outcome Measures: We examined 6 psychological factors (Purpose in Life and 5 scales of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire) and risk of mortality due to 6 specific causes of death, building on published analyses of behavioral and health/clinical risk and protective factors. Results: There were 803 deaths. Four of the 6 psychological factors were predictive of all-cause mortality. All except 1 personality scale were related to cause-specific mortality. Psychological factors were most predictive of unintentional injury deaths. Purpose in life was protective of death due to pneumonia; whereas, Activity was protective of death due to diseases of heart and blood vessels and to unintentional injury. Sociability, Impulsive-Sensation Seeking, and Neuroticism-Anxiety were risk factors for death due to unintentional injury. Neuroticism-Anxiety was related to death due to septicemia. There were no significant psychological predictors of cancer. Conclusions: Rehabilitation professionals have a central role in promoting purpose in life as a means of increasing longevity. By assessing personality factors predictive of specific causes of mortality, those at risk may be targeted for cause-specific prevention strategies.

Health factors and spinal cord injury: a prospective study of risk of cause-specific mortality

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

Identify the risk and protective factors of all-cause and cause-specific mortality among persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).

SETTING

Rehabilitation specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted with 3070 adults with traumatic SCI who were a minimum of 1 year post-injury at assessment. Prospective data were collected in 1997-1998 and 2007-2010, with mortality determined as of 31 December, 2016. The deceased were classified into six categories based on underlying cause of death: septicemia, pneumonia and influenza, cancer, heart and blood vessel diseases, unintentional injuries, and all other causes. The competing risk analysis strategy applied to each of the specific causes.

RESULTS

There were a total of 803 observed deaths among the 2979 final study sample. After controlling for demographic and injury characteristics, general health, pressure ulcer history, and symptoms of infections were significantly associated with all-cause mortality. Except for cancer, they were also related with at least one of the specific causes of death, whereas orthopedic complications and subsequent injuries were unrelated to any cause.

CONCLUSIONS

Three health domains, global health, pressure ulcers, and symptoms of illness or infection, were significantly associated with mortality after SCI, and the patterns of association varied as a function of specific cause of death.

Psychological morbidities and positive psychological outcomes in people with traumatic spinal cord injury in Mainland China

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the prevalences of three psychological morbidities (posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression) and two positive psychological outcomes (resilience and posttraumatic growth) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). To examine the relationships between the five aforementioned variables and to determine the predictors of the three psychological morbidities.

SETTING

Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center, Mainland China.

METHODS

Participants included 300 adults with SCI in one rehabilitation center in Shanghai. Standardized self-report measures were used. Sociodemographic, injury, and psychological variables were assessed. Descriptive analyses were used to calculate the prevalences of five psychological outcome variables. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between the five psychological variables and regression analyses were conducted to determine the predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

RESULTS

Of the 300 respondents, 35%, 29%, and 27% exceeded the clinical cutoff score for PTSD, anxiety, and depression, respectively. About 32% reported good resilience, and 51% reported moderate to high levels of posttraumatic growth (PTG). Three psychological morbidities showed positive correlations between each other while significant negative relationships with the resilience and PTG. Hierarchical regressions indicated that both the extent of environmental barriers and resilience were the significant predictors of PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

CONCLUSION

High prevalences of psychological morbidities were found in the SCI population in Mainland China. They should be identified and intervened early in the rehabilitation process. Some positive psychological techniques that focus on increasing resilience and promoting PTG would likely be beneficial for the SCI population.

Long-term survival after traumatic spinal cord injury: a 70-year British study

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective and prospective observational.

OBJECTIVES

Analyse long-term survival after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in Great Britain over the 70-year study period, identify mortality risk factors and estimate current life expectancy.

SETTING

Two spinal centres in Great Britain.

METHODS

The sample consisted of patients with traumatic SCI injured 1943-2010 who survived the first year post-injury, had residual neurological deficit on discharge and were British residents. Life expectancy and trends over time were estimated by neurological grouping, age and gender, using logistic regression of person-years of follow-up combined with standard life table calculations.

RESULTS

For the 5483 cases of traumatic SCI the mean age at injury was 35.1 years, 79.7% were male, 31.1% had tetraplegia AIS/Frankel ABC, 41.2% paraplegia ABC,and 27.7% functionally incomplete lesion (all Ds). On 31 December 2014, 54% were still alive, 42.3% had died and 3.7% were lost to follow-up. Estimated life expectancies improved significantly between the 1950s and 1980s, plateaued during the next two decades, before slightly improving again since 2010. The estimated current life expectancy, compared with the general British population, ranged from 18.1 to 88.4% depending on the ventilator dependency, level and completeness of injury, age and gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Life expectancy after SCI improved significantly between the 1950s and 1980s, plateaued during the 1990s and 2000s, before slightly improving again since 2010, but still remains well below that of the general British population.

SPONSORSHIP

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Spinal Fund and Ann Masson Legacy for Spinal Research Fund, UK.

Risk and Protective Factors for Cause-Specific Mortality After Spinal Cord Injury

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of multiple sets of risk and protective factors (biographic and injury, socioeconomic, health) with cause-specific mortality after spinal cord injury (SCI).

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively created cohort.

SETTING

Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems facilities.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults (N=8157) with traumatic SCI who were enrolled in a model systems facility after 1973 and received follow-up evaluation that included all study covariates (between November 1, 1995 and October 31, 2006).

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

All-cause mortality was determined using the Social Security Death Index as of January 1, 2014. Causes of death were obtained from the National Death Index and classified as infective and parasitic diseases, neoplasms, respiratory system diseases, heart and blood vessel diseases, external causes, and other causes. Competing risk analysis, with time-dependent covariates, was performed with hazard ratios (HRs) for each cause of death.

RESULTS

The HRs for injury severity indicators were highest for deaths due to respiratory system diseases (highest HR for injury level C1-4, 4.84) and infective and parasitic diseases (highest HR for American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade A, 5.70). In contrast, injury level and American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade were relatively unrelated to death due to neoplasms and external causes. Of the socioeconomic indicators, education and income were significantly predictive of a number of causes of death. Pressure ulcers were the only 1 of 4 secondary health condition indicators consistently related to cause of death.

CONCLUSIONS

Injury severity was related to mortality due to infective disease and respiratory complications, suggesting that those with the most severe SCI should be targeted for prevention of these causes. Socioeconomic and health factors were more broadly related to a number of causes of death. Intervention strategies that enhance socioeconomic status and health may also result in reduced mortality due to multiple causes.

The process of posttraumatic growth in individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury in Mainland China: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

This study aims to explore the process of posttraumatic growth for individuals who have sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants with spinal cord injury from the local community. Interviews were recorded on audiotape and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes emerged: struggling in hopelessness, disentangling from disability, facing challenge, and achieving positive growth. Our findings reveal how individuals with spinal cord injury overcome their disability to achieve personal growth, and can contribute to clinicians' understanding of psychological responses to spinal cord injury while promoting physical and psychological recovery in these individuals.

Mortality and longevity after a spinal cord injury: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Mortality and longevity studies of spinal cord injury (SCI) are essential for informing healthcare systems and policies. This review evaluates the current evidence among people with SCIs worldwide in relation to the WHO region and country income level; demographic and lesion characteristics; and in comparison with the general population.

METHODS

A systematic review of relevant databases for original studies. Pooled estimates were derived using random effects meta-analysis, restricted to traumatic SCI.

RESULTS

Seventy-four studies were included. In-hospital mortality varied, with pooled estimates of 24.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 14.1-38.0), 7.6% (95% CI 6.3-9.0), 7.0% (95% CI 1.5-27.4), and 2.1% (95% CI 0.9-5.0) in the WHO regions of Africa, the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific. The combined estimate for low- and middle-income countries was nearly three times higher than for high-income countries. Pooled estimates of first-year survival were 86.5% (95% CI 75.3-93.1), 95.6% (95% CI 81.0-99.1), and 94.0% (95% CI 93.3-94.6) in the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific. Pooled estimates of standardized mortality ratios in tetraplegics were 2.53 (2.00-3.21) and 2.07 (1.47-2.92) in paraplegics.

CONCLUSION

This study found substantial variation in mortality and longevity within the SCI population, compared to the general population, and between WHO regions and country income level. Improved standardization and quality of reporting is needed to improve inferences regarding the extent to which mortality outcomes following an SCI are related to healthcare systems, services and policies.

Novel risk factors associated with current suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide attempts in individuals with spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE

To determine unique associations of suicidal ideation (SI) and lifetime suicide attempts (SAs) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis.

SETTING

Outpatient.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals with SCI (N=2533) who were 18 years or older with a history of traumatic SCI.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Any SI in the past 2 weeks (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire) and any lifetime SA.

RESULTS

Three hundred twenty-three individuals (13.3%) reported SI in the past 2 weeks and 179 (7.4%) reported lifetime SA. After controlling for other factors, both lifetime SA and current SI were associated with study site and current level of depression. In addition, SA was associated with less education, younger age at injury, having current or past treatment of depression, and having bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. SI was associated with more years since injury and lifetime SA. Several psychological factors were associated with current SI and lifetime SAs, including lower environmental reward and less positive affect. In addition, control of one's community activities and spiritual well-being were associated with current SI. In bivariate comparisons, severity of SCI was also associated with the 47% of the SAs that occurred after injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Several unique associations of SI and lifetime SA in individuals with SCI were identified, including level of environmental reward and control, spiritual well-being, and severity of SCI. These factors bear further investigation as prospective risk factors for suicidal behavior after SCI.

Predicting risk of postoperative lung injury in high-risk surgical patients: a multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains a serious postoperative complication. Although ARDS prevention is a priority, the inability to identify patients at risk for ARDS remains a barrier to progress. The authors tested and refined the previously reported surgical lung injury prediction (SLIP) model in a multicenter cohort of at-risk surgical patients.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of a multicenter, prospective cohort investigation evaluating high-risk patients undergoing surgery. Preoperative ARDS risk factors and risk modifiers were evaluated for inclusion in a parsimonious risk-prediction model. Multiple imputation and domain analysis were used to facilitate development of a refined model, designated SLIP-2. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test were used to assess model performance.

RESULTS

Among 1,562 at-risk patients, ARDS developed in 117 (7.5%). Nine independent predictors of ARDS were identified: sepsis, high-risk aortic vascular surgery, high-risk cardiac surgery, emergency surgery, cirrhosis, admission location other than home, increased respiratory rate (20 to 29 and ≥30 breaths/min), FIO2 greater than 35%, and SpO2 less than 95%. The original SLIP score performed poorly in this heterogeneous cohort with baseline risk factors for ARDS (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [95% CI], 0.56 [0.50 to 0.62]). In contrast, SLIP-2 score performed well (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [95% CI], 0.84 [0.81 to 0.88]). Internal validation indicated similar discrimination, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84.

CONCLUSIONS

In this multicenter cohort of patients at risk for ARDS, the SLIP-2 score outperformed the original SLIP score. If validated in an independent sample, this tool may help identify surgical patients at high risk for ARDS.

Theoretical Risk and Prevention Model for Secondary Health Conditions and Mortality After SCI: 15 Years of Research

BACKGROUND

To successfully prevent secondary health conditions (SHCs) and promote longevity after spinal cord injury (SCI), we must first understand the risk factors precipitating their occurrence and develop strategies to address these risk factors. Conceptual models may aid in identifying the nature of SHCs and guide research, clinical practice, and the development of prevention strategies.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose is to review and refine an existing theoretical risk and prevention model (TRPM) as a means of classifying risk and protective factors for SHCs and mortality after SCI and for identifying points of intervention.

METHODS

We describe conceptual work within the field of SCI research and SHCs, including a description of the TRPM, a review of research using the TRPM, and conceptual enhancements to the TRPM based on previous research.

CONCLUSIONS

The enhanced TRPM directs research to the timing and chronicity of the SHCs and their relationship with overall health and physiologic decline. Future research should identify differences in the nature of SHCs, the extent to which they relate to risk and protective factors, and the degree to which they may be prevented with appropriate research-based strategies.

Risk factors for mortality after spinal cord injury in the USA

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

First, to examine three sets of risk and protective factors for mortality after spinal cord injury (SCI), with an emphasis on health and secondary conditions. Second, to extend earlier work with several methodologic enhancements and addition of new predictors.

SETTING

Twenty hospitals designated as SCI Model Systems (SCIMSs) of care in the United States.

METHODS

Altogether, 8183 adults with traumatic SCI who received at least one follow-up evaluation between November 1995 and October 2006 from one of the SCIMSs were included in the study. There were 76,262 person-years and 1381 deaths at the end of June 2011. Mortality status determined by National Death Index and Social Security Death Index searches. Three successive sets of risk factors were evaluated with a logistic regression model on person-year observations to estimate the chance of dying in any given year.

RESULTS

Several biographic and injury, socio-environmental and health factors were significantly related to the odds of mortality. A history of pneumonia or kidney calculus was associated with greater odds of mortality, whereas deep vein thrombosis was not. Poor general health, decline in health over the past year, hospitalization and a grade 3 or 4 pressure ulcer were also related to mortality. Consistent with a mediating effect, odds ratios declined with the addition of each successive set of factors.

CONCLUSION

The relationship of biographic and injury characteristics with mortality after SCI is mediated by socio-environmental and health factors. Assessment of these variables enhances our ability to identify individuals at risk for excess mortality.

Personality characteristics of male sufferers of chronic tension-type and cervicogenic headache

Background and Purpose

Chronic tension-type headache (a primary headache disorder) and cervicogenic headache (a secondary headache disorder that is attributable to upper cervical spine pathology) share similar clinical manifestations, but their associated personality traits may differ. We evaluated the personality differences between sufferers of chronic tension-type headache and cervicogenic headache.

Methods

We administered the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) and the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) to 18 patients suffering from chronic tension-type headache, 19 suffering from cervicogenic headache, and 26 healthy volunteers. Depressive trends were measured with the Plutchik-van-Praag Depression Inventory (PVP).

Results

Compared to healthy controls, the chronic tension-type headache group scored significantly higher on ZKPQ Neuroticism-Anxiety and on the PVP, while the cervicogenic headache group scored significantly lower on SSS Thrill and Adventure Seeking. In addition, the total SSS score was significantly lower in the cervicogenic headache group than in both the chronic tension-type headache group and the healthy controls.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that higher scores for neuroticism-anxiety and depression were associated with chronic tension-type headache, while lower sensation-seeking scores were associated with cervicogenic headache.

Socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors for mortality: do risk factors observed after spinal cord injury parallel those from the general USA population?

Objective

To evaluate the association of demographic, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors with all-cause mortality while controlling for health status among a cohort of participants with severe disability related to spinal cord injury (SCI).

Study Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Data were analyzed at a major medical university in the Southeast United States of America.

Methods

Participants included 1361 adults with traumatic SCI of at least one year duration who were recruited through a large specialty hospital in the Southeast United States of America. Three Cox proportional hazards models were generated relating the predictors to all-cause mortality.

Results

Age, disability, smoking, and income were significant in the final model. Both current (hazard ratio [HR]=2.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.46–2.82) and former smokers (HR=1.58, CI=1.16–2.16) were at elevated hazard of mortality, as were those with incomes under $10,000 (HR=2.29, CI=1.53–3.44) and between $10,000–$35,000 (HR=1.47, CI=1.03–2.10).

Conclusions

Even after controlling for health and severity of disability, the coefficients for smoking and income were significant, exceeding that reported previously within the general population. The importance of these factors may be magnified after severe disability, even though life expectancy is already greatly diminished in this population.

Stability of predictors of mortality after spinal cord injury

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the stability of socio-environmental, behavioral and health predictors of mortality over an 8-year time frame.

SETTING

Data were analyzed at a large medical university in the Southeast United States of America (USA).

METHODS

Adults with residual impairment from a spinal cord injury (SCI) who were at least 1-year post-injury at assessment were recruited through a large specialty hospital in the Southeast USA. A total of 1209 participants were included in the final analysis. A piecewise exponential model with two equal time intervals (8 years total) was used to assess the stability of the hazard and the predictors over time.

RESULTS

The hazard did significantly change over time, where the hazard in the first time interval was significantly lower than the second. There were no interactions between the socio-environmental, behavior or health factors and time, although there was a significant interaction between age at injury (a demographic variable) and time.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest there is stability in the association between the predictors and mortality, even over an 8-year time period. Results reinforce the use of historic variables for prediction of mortality in persons with SCI.

Health, secondary conditions, and life expectancy after spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association of health status, secondary health conditions, hospitalizations, and risk of mortality and life expectancy (LE) after spinal cord injury (SCI).

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Preliminary data were collected from a specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States, with mortality follow-up and data analysis conducted at a medical university.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults with traumatic SCI (N=1361), all at least 1-year postinjury at the time of assessment, were enrolled in the study. There were 325 deaths. After elimination of those with missing data on key variables, there were 267 deaths and 12,032 person-years.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The mortality status was determined by routine follow-up using the National Death Index through December 31, 2008. A logistic regression model was developed to estimate the probability of dying in any given year using person-years.

RESULTS

A history of chronic pressure ulcers, amputations, a depressive disorder, symptoms of infections, and being hospitalized within the past year were all predictive of mortality. LE estimates were generated using the example of a man with noncervical, nonambulatory SCI. Using 3 age examples (20, 40, 60y), the greatest estimated lost LE was associated with chronic pressure ulcers (50.3%), followed by amputations (35.4%), 1 or more recent hospitalizations (18.5%), and the diagnosis of probable major depression (18%). Symptoms of infections were associated with a 6.7% reduction in LE for a 1 SD increase in infectious symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Several secondary health conditions represent risk factors for mortality and diminish LE after SCI. The presence of 1 or more of these factors should be taken as an indicator of the need for intervention.

Excess mortality associated with mental illness and substance use disorders among veteran clinic users with spinal cord injury

PURPOSE

Among veterans with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) or disease aetiologies, examine the association between diagnosed mental illness (MI) and substance use disorders (SUD) on mortality after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors, SCI severity, injury duration and chronic physical illnesses.

METHOD

Longitudinal analysis of Veteran Health Administration(VHA) administrative data and Medicare claims for FY 1999-2004 matched with Spinal Cord Dysfunction-Registry (SCD-R) of VHA clinic users (N = 8334) with SCI. SCI was identified through SCD-R; individual MIs (anxiety, bipolar, depressive disorders, psychoses, post-traumatic disorder and schizophrenia) and SUDs (tobacco, alcohol and/or drug) were identified through ICD-9-CM codes. Cox-proportional hazards regressions were used to examine association between MI and SUD and time to death in years.

RESULTS

Among veterans with SCI, 17% died by the end of FY 2004. Veterans with psychosis (35%), depression (22%) and alcohol and/or drug use (20%) had significantly higher rates of mortality compared to those without these diagnoses. After adjusting for other independent variables in the study, hazards ratios for psychosis was 1.47 (95%CI = 1.24, 1.75), for alcohol and/or drug use was 1.30 (95% CI = 1.11, 1.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Some types of MI and SUD were associated with excess mortality among veterans with SCI. Care for MI and SUD needs to be routinely integrated into SCI management. Future research is needed to determine whether depression and SUD treatment provides opportunity to improve survival.

Psychological factors affecting alcohol use after spinal cord injury

Objective

The purpose of this study is to assess risk factors, including personality and socioeconomic indicators, with alcohol use among persons with spinal cord injury.

Study Design

Cross-sectional

Setting

A large rehabilitation hospital in the southeastern United States

Methods

1,549 participants responded to a survey on outcomes after SCI. We used polychotomous logistic regression to assess the relationships of personality and socioeconomic factors with alcohol use.

Results

In this study population, 19.3% were heavy drinkers, 29.4% moderate, and 51.7% abstinent. Annual household income and education were both associated with heavy alcohol use, with persons with higher income or education more likely to be heavy drinkers. Impulsive sensation seeking, neuroticism/anxiety, and aggression/hostility were associated with increased odds of heavy drinking.

Conclusion

This study adds to the body of evidence indicating a substantial portion of individuals with SCI are heavy drinkers, and that personality and socioeconomic status are associated with heavy drinking.

Personality and Behavioral Predictors of Pressure Ulcer History

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship of psychological, environmental, and behavioral factors with pressure ulcers (PUs) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: A total of 1,549 participants from a large rehabilitation hospital in the southeast United States answered questions regarding outcomes after SCI. Variables from each set of factors were entered sequentially into the model: (1) psychological and environmental, and (2) behavioral. RESULTS: Forty-eight percent of participants reported having a PU in the past year. After entering behavioral variables into the model, all environmental and psychological variables became nonsignificant. Odds of having a PU increased 28% with each psychotropic medication taken weekly. Persons who smoked one or more packs of cigarettes daily had 2.82 times the odds of having a PU than persons who did not smoke. Increased hours out of bed were protective against PUs. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the importance of health behaviors in the occurrence of PUs after SCI. These health behaviors provide important targets for intervention for health care providers.

Risk and protective factors for mortality after spinal cord injury

Our purpose was to systematically review research on postacute risk and protective factors for mortality after spinal cord injury including psychological, environmental, behavioral and health factors. A theoretical risk model was used to identify these sets of predictive factors and to structure this article. The majority of research identifies basic demographic (age and race) and injury factors (severity). More limited research has indicated that personality, purpose in life, income, social support and negative risk behaviors predict mortality. In terms of health factors and secondary conditions, pressure ulcers, amputations, depressive diagnosis and need for treatment also predict mortality. Interventions are needed that diminish the risk of secondary conditions and early mortality.

Life Expectancy Estimates in the Life Care Plan: Accounting for Economic Factors

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to summarize the existing scientific literature on the relationship between economic factors and life expectancy (LE) after spinal cord injury (SCI), present new data on the relationship between household income and LE, and present a revised theoretical risk model to account for the observed relationships.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Data were from a prospective cohort study of 1386 participants with SCI which began in 1997. Mortality status was determined 10 years later. Person year logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of mortality and to generate LE estimates, as each year of follow-up was treated as a separate observation (rather than a single observation per person).

RESULTS

Results indicated significant relationships between age, injury severity, household income and LE, which suggest the need for more refined models of economic factors and LE.

CONCLUSIONS

LE estimates in life care plans need to account for economic factors in order to improve accuracy. It is important to allocate resources to meet all healthcare needs throughout the lifecycle to ensure that LE is not compromised.

Risk of mortality after spinal cord injury: an 8-year prospective study

Krause JS, Zhai Y, Saunders LL, Carter RE. Risk of mortality after spinal cord injury: an 8-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a theoretical model for mortality after spinal cord injury (SCI) by sequentially analyzing 4 sets of risk factors in relation to mortality (ie, adding 1 set of factors to the regression equation at a time).

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study of data collected in late 1997 and early 1998 with mortality status ascertained in December 2005. We evaluated the significance of 4 successive sets of predictors (biographic and injury, psychologic and environmental, behavioral, health and secondary conditions) using Cox proportional hazards modeling and built a full model based on the optimal predictors.

SETTING

A specialty hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults (N=1386) with traumatic SCI, at least 1 year postinjury, participated. There were 224 deaths. After eliminating cases with missing data, there were 1209 participants, with 179 deceased at follow-up.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Mortality status was determined using the National Death Index and the Social Security Death Index.

RESULTS

The final model included 1 environmental variable (poverty), 2 behavioral factors (prescription medication use, binge drinking), and 4 health factors or secondary conditions (hospitalizations, fractures/amputations, surgeries for pressure ulcers, probable major depression).

CONCLUSIONS

The results supported the major premise of the theoretical model that risk factors are more important the more proximal they are in a theoretical chain of events leading to mortality. According to this model, mortality results from declining health, precipitated by high-risk behaviors. These findings may be used to target those who are at high risk for early mortality as well as to direct interventions to the particular risk factor.