Traumatic head and spinal cord injuries in Alaska (1991-1993).

Traumatic head and spinal cord injuries (SCI) are serious events, often leading to severe disability or death. Because these injuries are experienced most often by younger, more active people, they are associated with some of the most enduring physical, emotional, and financial costs. In order to describe several demographic and epidemiologic characteristics of traumatic head and spinal cord injuries in Alaska, a retrospective study was conducted using information collected from the Alaska Trauma Registry (ATR) for hospital trauma admissions in 1991 through 1993. Hospitalized traumatic head injury were identified in 2178 cases, for an average annual incidence rate of 129.5 per 100,000 population. For hospitalized traumatic SCI, 139 cases were identified, for an average annual incidence rate of 8.3 per 100,000 population. To analyze and assess the incidence of these injuries in Alaska, the following injury characteristics were explored through the Alaska Trauma Registry: demographics, mechanism of injury, work relatedness, use of safety equipment, involvement of alcohol, and discharge status.