A Primary Care Provider’s Guide to Preventive Health After Spinal Cord Injury

Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) may not receive the same preventive healthcare as the general population. SCI-related secondary conditions may put their health at risk. Primary care providers (PCPs) are experts in preventive care but may face barriers when treating individuals with SCI. This article serves as a quick reference for PCPs to address these challenges. Preventive care for individuals with SCI often requires a greater time commitment per visit or more frequent visits. Effective management needs to be patient-centered and deliberately planned, and it requires collaboration and coordination of all health care providers. This article provides guidance for preventive health and health maintenance measures for PCPs managing individuals with SCI. In the absence of specialist involvement, the PCP may have greater responsibility (e.g., urohealth surveillance).

• 1
  Individuals with SCI may not receive the same preventive healthcare as the general population due to various barriers, including inaccessibility, lack of PCP knowledge, and systematic issues.
• 2
  Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality among people with SCI, often presenting with atypical symptoms, making regular screening and management of cardiovascular and metabolic health crucial.
• 3
  Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) and neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) are common secondary complications that significantly affect the quality of life of individuals with SCI, requiring regular assessment and management of bladder and bowel programs.