Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems: Review of Program and National Database From 1970 to 2015.
The Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) centers have provided continuous, comprehensive multidisciplinary care for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) in the United States since their inception in 1970. In addition, the research conducted and the analysis of data collected at these centers facilitate advances in the care and the overall quality of life for people with SCI. Over the past 45 years, the SCIMS program and National Spinal Cord Injury Database (NSCID) have undergone major revisions, which must be recognized in the planning, conduct, and interpretation of SCIMS research to prevent misinterpretation of findings. Therefore, we provide herein a brief review of the SCIMS program and the associated NSCID throughout its history, emphasizing changes and accomplishments within the past 15 years, to facilitate a better understanding and interpretation of the data presented in SCIMS research publications, including the articles published in this special issue of the Archives.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL. Electronic address: yuyingchen@uabmc.edu.
Yuying
Y
Chen
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Michael J
MJ
DeVivo
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
J Scott
JS
Richards
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
Theresa B
TB
SanAgustin
D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States
Database; History; Rehabilitation; Spinal cord injuries