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Abstract:
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The Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems National Database (SCIMS NDB) is one of the oldest and richest longitudinal repositories for traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) information. The SCIMS NDB has enrolled more than 32,000 patients and conducted more than 118,000 follow-up interviews (1, 5, 10, 15, etc. years postinjury). The SCIMS NDB is a key resource for TSCI research in the US with over 250 peer-reviewed publication and book chapters produced to date; however the representativeness of this sample is unknown. The Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDS) and the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association's eRehabData collect and report data from 92% of all inpatient rehabilitation facilities. We compared demographic, functional status, and injury characteristics between SCIMS NDB and USD/eRehabData cases discharged from inpatient rehabilitation. Results indicate the SCIMS NDB is largely representative of the population of adults receiving inpatient rehabilitation for new onset TSCI in the US. However, users of the SCIMS NDB may need to adjust statistically for differences in age and pre-injury occupational status to improve the generalizability of findings.
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