• Christopher Pflaum, George McCollister, David J Strauss, Robert M Shavelle, and Michael J DeVivo.
• Spectrum Economics, Inc, Overland Park, Kansas, USA.
• J Spinal Cord Med. 2006 Jan 1; 29 (4): 377-86.

ObjectiveTo develop predictive models to estimate worklife expectancy after spinal cord injury (SCI).DesignInception cohort study.SettingModel SCI Care Systems throughout the United States.Participants20,143 persons enrolled in the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center database since 1973.InterventionNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasurePostinjury employment rates and worklife expectancy.ResultsUsing logistic regression, we found a greater likelihood of being employed in any given year to be significantly associated with younger age, white race, higher education level, being married, having a nonviolent cause of injury, paraplegia, ASIA D injury, longer time postinjury, being employed at injury and during the previous postinjury year, higher general population employment rate, lower level of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, and calendar years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.ConclusionsThe likelihood of postinjury employment varies substantially among persons with SCI. Given favorable patient characteristics, worklife should be considerably higher than previous estimates.

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