Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 2)
Faculty
Academic Level (Author 3)
Faculty
Discipline/Specialty (Author 3)
Neuroscience
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Clinical Science
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 was the most significant medical issue since the Spanish Flu and was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Current literature states that during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which about 10% of the global population was affected, there was a decrease in the frequency of trauma injuries observed in the clinic. Of note, spinal cord injury (SCI) has been suggested to show changing epidemiology from the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, a study in Scotland has suggested that the cause of SCI was significantly influenced during the pandemic, with an increase in self-harm. Such epidemiological changes may influence economic impact and burden on health and social care. Here, our primary objective was to analyze SCI prevalence and cause of injury in Texas before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the effects of pandemics and associated lockdowns on SCIs in Texas. We hypothesized that SCIs would decrease during the pandemic and then rise to increased levels shortly after the pandemic. We also hypothesized that the mechanisms of SCI, by percentage, would differ during the pandemic compared to before and after.
Methods: We evaluated the Texas Department of State Health Services trauma data from 2019 through the end of 2022. Spinal cord injuries and their cause were obtained directly from the dataset using ICD-10 diagnosis codes of S14, S24, S34, T093, and T91.3. We pulled various demographics from the dataset including age, sex, ethnicity, and ZIP codes of the city in which the diagnosis was made. Statistical analyses were performed on the R programming software using chi square analysis. A p-value of 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: We found that all causes of SCIs in Texas decreased 20% during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) and increased 43% following the pandemic in 2022, p < .001. Our data also suggests certain causes of injury and patient demographics decreased while others increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, SCI decreased due to motor vehicle accidents by 20% during the pandemic and increased about 46% following the pandemic.
Conclusion: Precautions and focused interventions may be taken to reduce SCIs based on the time period (before, during, after) involving pandemics. Targeting the main causes of SCIs in each time period could significantly decrease the number of SCIs sustained and improve the spinal health of the general population. Future directions include analyzing the prevalence of mechanism or cause of injury and patient demographic during the pandemic.
Recommended Citation
Martin, Blake C.; Salinas, Daniel; and Baker, Kelsey, "The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Spinal Cord Injury Prevalence and Cause of Injury in Texas: A Four-Year Retrospective Analysis" (2025). Research Symposium. 45.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/45
Included in
Infectious Disease Commons, Neurology Commons, Neurosurgery Commons
The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Spinal Cord Injury Prevalence and Cause of Injury in Texas: A Four-Year Retrospective Analysis
Background: COVID-19 was the most significant medical issue since the Spanish Flu and was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Current literature states that during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which about 10% of the global population was affected, there was a decrease in the frequency of trauma injuries observed in the clinic. Of note, spinal cord injury (SCI) has been suggested to show changing epidemiology from the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, a study in Scotland has suggested that the cause of SCI was significantly influenced during the pandemic, with an increase in self-harm. Such epidemiological changes may influence economic impact and burden on health and social care. Here, our primary objective was to analyze SCI prevalence and cause of injury in Texas before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the effects of pandemics and associated lockdowns on SCIs in Texas. We hypothesized that SCIs would decrease during the pandemic and then rise to increased levels shortly after the pandemic. We also hypothesized that the mechanisms of SCI, by percentage, would differ during the pandemic compared to before and after.
Methods: We evaluated the Texas Department of State Health Services trauma data from 2019 through the end of 2022. Spinal cord injuries and their cause were obtained directly from the dataset using ICD-10 diagnosis codes of S14, S24, S34, T093, and T91.3. We pulled various demographics from the dataset including age, sex, ethnicity, and ZIP codes of the city in which the diagnosis was made. Statistical analyses were performed on the R programming software using chi square analysis. A p-value of 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: We found that all causes of SCIs in Texas decreased 20% during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) and increased 43% following the pandemic in 2022, p < .001. Our data also suggests certain causes of injury and patient demographics decreased while others increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, SCI decreased due to motor vehicle accidents by 20% during the pandemic and increased about 46% following the pandemic.
Conclusion: Precautions and focused interventions may be taken to reduce SCIs based on the time period (before, during, after) involving pandemics. Targeting the main causes of SCIs in each time period could significantly decrease the number of SCIs sustained and improve the spinal health of the general population. Future directions include analyzing the prevalence of mechanism or cause of injury and patient demographic during the pandemic.
