Association between Spinal Cord Injury and Alcohol Dependence: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study

J. Pers. Med., 2022 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12030473 · Published: March 16, 2022

Spinal Cord Injury Mental Health Research Methodology & Design

Simple Explanation

This study investigates the link between spinal cord injuries (SCI) and alcohol dependence using data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Researchers compared the rate of alcohol dependence in people with and without SCI, while considering other factors like age, gender, and income. The study found that individuals with SCI had a higher risk of developing alcohol dependence compared to those without SCI, and this risk was also influenced by factors like being male, having lower income, and pre-existing psychiatric conditions.

Study Duration

10 Years

Participants

5639 first-time SCI survivors and 22,080 non-SCI individuals

Evidence Level

Level 3; Retrospective Cohort Study

Key Findings

1
Individuals with SCI had a significantly greater hazard of developing alcohol dependence syndrome compared to those without SCI.
2
Factors such as being male, having a lower insurance level (indicating lower income), higher comorbidity index, and psychiatric outpatient visits were associated with a higher incidence of alcohol dependence syndrome.
3
The level of spinal cord injury (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, or other) did not significantly impact the incidence of alcohol dependence syndrome.

Research Summary

This study aimed to investigate the association between spinal cord injury (SCI) and alcohol dependence using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The study found that the SCI group had a higher hazard for alcohol dependence syndrome compared to the non-SCI group (adjusted HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.03~1.86, p = 0.0305). The incidence of alcohol dependence increased after the occurrence of SCI and was also related to age, sex, monthly income, comorbidities, and psychiatric problems.

Practical Implications

Public Health

The findings emphasize the need for public health initiatives that address alcohol dependence among individuals with SCI.

Clinical Care

The data highlights the importance of adjusting clinical care for SCI patients, with a focus on identifying and managing risk factors for alcohol dependence.

Targeted Interventions

Targeted interventions should be developed for SCI patients who are male, have lower incomes, pre-existing comorbidities, or psychiatric problems.

Study Limitations

1
The diagnoses of alcohol dependence syndrome from the NHIRD were based on ICD-9-CM codes and were less accurate than those diagnosed prospectively according to clinical criteria.
2
Additional socioeconomic status data, such as occupation and education, could not be obtained from the NHIRD.
3
The data of psychological evaluations did not exist in the large database: therefore, we could not do further research about the effects of psychological factors on alcohol dependence.

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