526 spinal cord injuries: experience of the Louisiana Rehabilitation Institute, 1965-1984.
A retrospective chart review was carried out on all spinal cord injured patients admitted to the Louisiana Rehabilitation Institute, Charity Hospital, between 1965 and 1984. In addition, former patients who could be contacted and who gave their informal consent were interviewed by telephone about the circumstances of their injury. The patients were most commonly male (86%) and black (53%); the average age at injury was 29, the most common diagnosis was complete paraplegia (44%); and the leading cause of injury was gunshot (or other penetrating) wounds (41%) followed by motor vehicle crashes (36%). These findings mirror the pattern of serious injury in Orleans Parish as a whole and point to firearms as a major health hazard in this community.
Mawson
A R
AR
Dept of Medicine, LSUMC, New Orleans.
Snelling
L
L
Winchester
Y
Y
Biundo
J J
JJ
D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000209:etiology; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000209:etiology