Study design: Register survey. Objective: To provide national Finnish data on the incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) over a 30-year period. Setting: Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, Helsinki, Finland. Methods: Patients aged 16 years and older who sustained a TSCI between 1976 and 2005 were identified using the registers of the Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre. Results: The medical records of a total of 1647 patients (1362 men and 285 women) were analyzed. The mean annual incidence rate for the entire population was 13.8/1 000 000. Age-adjusted incidence did not change among men or women during the three decades, but the mean age at injury of both men (from 34.7 to 42.4 years) and women (from 35.8 to 40.4 years) increased. The annual incidence of new TSCI rose significantly in persons 55 years and older. The proportion of tetraplegia and of incomplete injuries increased, too. Conclusion: Although TSCI is predominantly present in young men, more attention for primary prevention, medical care and rehabilitation in men and women aged 55 years and older is needed. An international uniformity in methodology to collect epidemiological data of TSCI is needed.

Our data show that work participation is affected by individual and injury-related factors. Of the latter, many can be affected by rehabilitation.

The results corroborate findings from earlier studies that satisfaction with sexual life is rather low among persons with SCI. Especially ageing men with traumatic SCI who have sustained injury at an older age are a challenge for rehabilitation. The high satisfaction with sexual life in the women in comparison with the men with MMC is a finding not reported earlier. Our results suggest that adequate treatment of incontinence and pain might improve even sexual satisfaction. Sexual counselling should be given to all individuals with SCI and to their partners. Sexual counselling for young adults with MMC is an important part of the rehabilitation process.

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