Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026

A Tissue Displacement-based Contusive Spinal Cord Injury Model in Mice
Published on: June 18, 2017
Describing Functioning in People Living With Spinal Cord Injury in Switzerland: A Graphical Modeling Approach
Cristina Ehrmann1, Birgit Prodinger1, Hans Peter Gmünder2
1Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland; Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Objective:
To describe functioning in people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Switzerland.
Design:
Secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data.
Setting:
Community, Switzerland.
Participants:
Individuals (N=1549) 16 years of age or older with a history of traumatic or nontraumatic SCI and permanently residing in Switzerland.
Interventions:
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures:
Functioning was operationalized through 4 domains: (1) impairments in body functions; (2) impairments in mental functions; (3) independence in performing activities; and (4) performance problems in participation.
Results:
Univariate analysis indicated a high prevalence of problems in 5 areas: (1) housework; (2) climbing stairs; (3) tiredness; (4) spasticity; and (5) chronic pain. Graphical modeling showed a strong association among the four domains of functioning. Moreover, we found that the differences in the dependence structures were significant between the paraplegia SCI population and the tetraplegia SCI population.
Conclusions:
This study is a first study in the epidemiology of functioning of people living with SCI in Switzerland. Using univariate and graphical modeling approaches, we proposed an empirical foundation for developing hypotheses on functioning in each domain and category that could inform health systems on people's health needs.
Related Concept Videos
Spinal Cord
The Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord: Information Processing
Sensory Information Processing
Sensory information processing begins at the sensory receptors located in the skin and other tissues, which detect somatic sensory stimuli such as touch, temperature, or pain. These receptors function as catalysts, initiating...
Spinal Cord: Gross Anatomy
Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy
Gray Matter and its Components
Central to the gray matter is...
Solving Equations Graphically

