The profile of persons with traumatic spinal cord injury and the associated factors of length of stay in a rehabilitation centre, in South Africa

Study design Single-site retrospective cohort study based on medical records review from 2016–2020. Specialised rehabilitative care is required to integrate traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) survivors into the community. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Rehabilitation 2030 initiative calls to strengthen rehabilitation services, and therefore, information regarding the injury profiles and length of rehabilitation stay (LORS) may assist in planning rehabilitation. Objectives The study aimed to examine the profile of individuals with TSCI, who were admitted to a rehabilitation centre, and to describe the factors associated with the LORS. Setting Western Cape Rehabilitation centre, South Africa. Methods The International Spinal Cord Injury Core Data Setversion 2.0 was used to extract data. One-way ANOVA and t-tests compared group means. A multiple linear regression analysis was done to account for possible intercorrelations between predictors. Results The population consisted predominantly of males (89.8%) in the 31-–40-year-old category. Assault was the leading cause of injury (70.4%). The thoracic spine was most affected (52.4%), with complete injuries (AIS A, according to the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (INCSCI)) most common (42.8%). Cervical injuries were associated with significantly longer rehabilitation stays compared to thoracic or lumbar injuries. Conclusion The high prevalence of assault-related etiology underscores the need for preventative strategies to reduce the incidence of TSCI among young males. The characteristics of this unique population and the factors associated with LORS have important implications for healthcare planning, particularly in optimising staff and bed resources, to enhance access to specialised care.