title: Review paper: epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury: comparisons between developed and developing countries.
abstract: A review of global epidemiological studies of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) within 2 decades was undertaken to compare the incidence, mortality rate, patients' age, gender, causes, and severity of injury between developed countries and developing countries. The incidence rates varied greatly, and there was also a 2-fold difference between the highest mortality rate in developing countries and that in developed countries. Male sex and age from 30 to 50 years are strong risk factors in both these groups. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of injury in developed countries, whereas falls are the leading cause in developing countries. To clarify regional differences, future studies should contain long-term data about TSCI characteristics in a region-based population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei County, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Ta
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Hsiao-Chiao
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Shu-Fen
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Yung-Hsiao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Shin-Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality