Glossary

ASIA impairment category:

The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) has developed a classification system for spinal cord injury. The ASIA impairment category⁶ (detailed in the text of the present report) is based on the Frankel Classification^{7, 8}.

Extent of SCI:

refers to the extent of neurological damage, which is either `complete' or `incomplete'. "If partial preservation of sensory and/or motor functions is found below the neurological level and includes the lowest sacral segment, the injury is defined as incomplete"⁶. The term `complete injury' is used when there is an absence of sensory and motor function in the lowest sacral segment⁶.

Neurological level of SCI:

refers to "the most caudal segment of the spinal cord with normal sensory and motor function on both sides of the body" (ie the lowest level that has full function)⁶.

Newly incident case of SCI:

a person who suffers an SCI, as defined by the CDC clinical definition, during this reporting period (ie in 1997/98)

Paraplegia:

refers to "impairment or loss of motor and/or sensory function in the thoracic, lumbar or sacral (but not cervical) segments of the spinal cord, secondary to damage of neural elements within the spinal canal"⁶.

Persisting case of SCI:

a person who is discharged from a SU with a neurological deficit.

Prevalent population:

people who have an SCI, as defined by the CDC clinical definition, at a given point in time.

Tetraplegia:

refers to "impairment or loss of motor and/or sensory function in the cervical segments of the spinal cord due to damage of neural elements within the spinal canal". This term is etymologically more accurate than `Quadriplegia', combining tetra + plegia, both from Greek, rather than quadri + plegia, a Latin/Greek amalgam. It is generally preferred outside the US.

Unprotected road users:

refers to pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motor cycle riders.