Eisenberg M G, Tierney D O
Paraplegia. 1985 Dec;23(6):335-43. doi: 10.1038/sc.1985.53.
Currently, the majority of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) treatment resources are being expended to address and resolve problems occurring during the acute and immediate post-acute phases following injury. Major national funding sources for SCI research have followed this pattern with few, if any, proposals submitted for the support of research into the effects of aging on the SCI individual requiring long term institutional care. Yet, data recently available from the National Spinal Cord Injury Research Center and the Veterans Administration show that there is an increase in the numbers of older SCI persons requiring medical care. In anticipation of increasing utilisation of health care resources by older SCI persons, the Veterans Administration has begun to make appropriate plans. But a broadened information base is needed to support these plans. Statistical data concerning the characteristics of the total SCI population, empirical information of older SCI persons' extended care needs, and information regarding proper treatment for older SCI persons is necessary.
目前，大多数脊髓损伤（SCI）治疗资源都用于解决损伤后急性期及急性期刚结束后的阶段所出现的问题。脊髓损伤研究的主要国家资金来源也遵循这一模式，提交用于支持针对需要长期机构护理的脊髓损伤患者衰老影响研究的提案极少，即便有也寥寥无几。然而，国家脊髓损伤研究中心和退伍军人管理局最近提供的数据表明，需要医疗护理的老年脊髓损伤患者数量在增加。鉴于老年脊髓损伤患者对医疗资源的使用预计会增加，退伍军人管理局已开始制定适当计划。但需要更广泛的信息基础来支持这些计划。有关脊髓损伤总人口特征的统计数据、老年脊髓损伤患者长期护理需求的实证信息以及有关老年脊髓损伤患者适当治疗的信息都是必要的。
