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SwiSCI
Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study
New international data on people with spinal cord injury

New international data on people with spinal cord injury

New international data on people with spinal cord injury

New international data on people with spinal cord injury

The study provides valuable insights into the lives of people with spinal cord injury around the world. 

The second InSCI survey was conducted between 2022 and 2024 in 31 countries across all WHO regions, including Switzerland through SwiSCI. In April 2026, the first results were published in six scientific papers in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. A detailed summary of the findings in German is available in the current issue of the magazine Paracontact.

The world map shows the 32 countries that participated in the current InSCI study (2022–2024), highlighted in blue.
Participating countries in the InSCI study (shown in blue)

Data from more than 15,000 participants show:

  • Causes of spinal cord injury worldwide: The leading causes are road traffic collisions (35%), falls from more than one metre (18%), and work-related accidents (14%). However, there are considerable differences between countries.
  • Most common health problems: Pain (82%), depressive symptoms (79%), muscle spasms (76%), and bowel problems (71%) are the most frequently reported health issues among people with spinal cord injury.
  • Changes over time: An increase in health problems over the years was observed only in people with traumatic spinal cord injury, but not in those with non-traumatic spinal cord injury.
  • Use of healthcare services: General practitioners are the most frequently consulted healthcare professionals (59%), followed by inpatient services (49%) and physiotherapy (44%).
  • Major differences in access to care: The proportion of people reporting unmet healthcare needs ranges from around 8% in Switzerland to approximately 60% in Iran and Morocco.
  • Health system performance: Switzerland ranks fifth internationally. Only Norway, Andorra, the Netherlands, and Spain achieved higher scores.
  • Low employment rates: On average, only about one third of people with spinal cord injury are employed worldwide. Rates are substantially higher in high-income countries, with Switzerland ranking first globally at 60%.

The findings demonstrate the strong influence of health and social systems on the lives of people with spinal cord injury. Several countries are already using InSCI results to inform national strategies aimed at improving rehabilitation and participation.

InSCI is one of the largest multinational studies on the lived experience of people with spinal cord injury. The study is coordinated by Swiss Paraplegic Research. Further information: https://insci.network/