SCI Publications

Objective: Assess knowledge of and adherence to DGA food group recommendations and their associations and evaluate beliefs about whether individuals with SCI/D should follow the same guidelines as those without SCI/D, and how these beliefs relate to adherence.Design: Cross-sectional survey.Setting: National Veterans Health Administration SCI/D Centers, Midwest Regional SCI Model System of Care, ...

ObjectivesIndividuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) experience several chronic and SCI-specific secondary health complications that are influenced by nutrition, which is a modifiable risk factor. Improving nutritional knowledge is essential to support healthy dietary behaviors, yet no validated tool exists in this population. This study describes the development ...

Purpose/Objective: Describe and compare the perspectives of people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs), care partners, and rehabilitation clinicians regarding rehabilitation experiences, preparation for discharge, and community integration. Research Method/Design: We recruited people with SCI, care partners, and rehabilitation clinicians through SCI Model Systems contacts and other sources. We sought variations in ...

Objectives: To examine demographic and injury characteristics of new traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) cases from 1972 to 2024, contextualized by US population trends.Design: Cross-sectional analysis of a longitudinal database.Setting: Thirty-one Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) centers throughout the United States.Participants: A total of 37,866 SCIMS database participants grouped into 6 injury cohorts ...

Objective:To investigate the association of area-level economic characteristics with employment outcomes in a sample of participants in the national Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) database.Design:Secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data collected for the SCIMS database linked to administrative data from the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates.Setting:Community.Intervention:Not applicable.Participants:People ...

Perceived social isolation (PSI) significantly affects the emotional well-being of stroke survivors, necessitating effective monitoring and prediction for timely, targeted interventions. While Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) has been increasingly used to identify precursor characteristics of PSI, existing prediction methods rely on handcrafted features, which often fail to capture the semantic ...

Spinal cord injury (SCI) predisposes patients to pressure injuries (PIs) often requiring surgery. Multiple factors influence postoperative complications and recurrence, though their associations remain unclear. We performed a PRISMA-guided systematic review and meta-analysis to assess predictors of acute postoperative complications and PI recurrence in SCI patients undergoing surgery. PubMed, Scopus ...

ObjectiveTo identify factors associated with oral health problems in individuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D).DesignCross-sectional survey conducted in 2024-2025.Setting/ParticipantsVeterans and civilians with SCI/D from Veterans Health Administration and private sector organizations.Main Outcomes MeasuresOral health problems, chronic conditions, secondary complications, and psychosocial health.ResultsThe sample (n=370) had a mean age ...

Purpose/Objective: Research on food avoidance behaviors in individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) is scarce. The objective was to assess food avoidance, reasons, and associated variables in persons with chronic SCI/D. Research Method/Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Bivariate and multivariable analyses identified variables associated with food ...

ObjectiveTo identify the types of government financial assistance programs accessed by individuals and their families after spinal cord injury (SCI) and user experiences.DesignQualitative analysis of data collected from focus groups conducted during the initial phase of a mixed-methods questionnaire development project.SettingTen 1-hour online focus groups held via Zoom for Healthcare ...

Multicomponent biobehavioral and psychosocial interventions in rehabilitation psychology have traditionally employed a “treatment package” approach, which bundles multiple components into a single intervention. While this method can be practical, it often fails to provide detailed insights into the effectiveness of each component within the package. This lack of granularity can ...

Texas Model Spinal Cord Injury System has published a study with the American Spinal Injury Association titled Interpersonal Violence Against Women With Spinal Cord Injury: Adding Insult to Injury. This study seeks to address the understudied and underserved population of women with SCI in relation to their experience with interpersonal ...

Study estimated the cost-effectiveness of overground robotic locomotor training versus conventional locomotor training following spinal cord injury (SCI) by injury status (complete versus incomplete). A probabilistic cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using a prospective, practice-based cohort from four participating SCI Model System sites. The outcome measures included the calculation of quality ...

Study investigated whether a brief moderate-intensity locomotor-related motor skill training (MST) circuit, with and without transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), improved walking and balance outcomes in people with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (MISCI). In addition, researchers examined potential differences between within-day (online) and between-day (offline) effects of MST. Twenty-six adults ...

Study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index (SCI-FI) instruments in a community-dwelling sample. A total of 269 individuals recruited from 6 SCI Model Systems sites completed computer adaptive test and short-form versions of 4 SCI-FI/Capacity (C) banks (i.e., Ambulation, Basic Mobility, Fine Motor, Self-Care) and 1 ...

Study examined the use of complementary and integrative healthcare (CIH) by people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Data were obtained from 411 people enrolled in five SCI Model Systems (SCIMS) centers across the United States who completed their SCIMS follow-up interview between January 2017 and July 2019. Participants completed a ...

Study examined the process of adapting an evidence-based patient engagement intervention, enhanced medical rehabilitation (E-MR), for inpatient spinal cord injury/disease (SCI/D) rehabilitation using an implementation science framework. The collaborative intervention planning framework was applied and included a community advisory board (CAB) in an intervention mapping process. Seven stakeholders from inpatient ...

Study tested the safety and treatment effect of an ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for shoulder pain in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Six wheelchair users (3 paraplegia, 3 tetraplegia) who had chronic shoulder pain due to rotator cuff disease received ultrasound-guided PRP injection into pathological shoulder tendons, ...

Study evaluated the perceived helpfulness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions and their combinations for neuropathic pain (NeuP) and subcategories of NeuP after spinal cord injury (SCI). Three hundred ninety-one individuals at least one year post traumatic SCI were recruited from six SCI Model System centers. A telephone survey was conducted ...

Study identified secondary and chronic health conditions associated with self-reported emergency department (ED) visits and ED-related hospitalizations among people with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Data collected from 648 adults with chronic traumatic SCI through their Form II annual follow-up within the SCI Model System, as well as self-reported ED ...