The National Head and Spinal Cord Injury Survey: major findings.

Estimates of the occurrence of new cases, frequency of existing cases, and economic costs of injury to the head or spinal cord are presented for the population of the contiguous United States for the year 1974. Estimates for subpopulations defined by demographic variables (age, race, sex and region in which injury occurred) are also presented, as well as related estimates on cause of injury, length of stay in hospital, and mortality. All estimates are from the National head and Spinal Cord Injury Survey and should be interpreted on the basis of how the study was conducted.