Developing a Lifetime Cost Calculator for Spinal Cord Injury: The SCI Cost Calculator.

Area of Science:

• Health economics
• Rehabilitation medicine
• Disability studies

Background:

• Existing cost estimates for spinal cord injury (SCI) primarily focus on health system expenses.
• These estimates often fail to capture the comprehensive financial burden experienced by individuals living with SCI.
• There is a critical need for a more accurate understanding of the total cost of SCI from the individual's perspective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel cost calculator for spinal cord injury (SCI).
• To incorporate both initial healthcare expenses and lifetime costs.
• To integrate direct input from individuals living with SCI and clinical experts.

Main Methods:

• Separated costs into initial and lifetime components.
• Utilized Canadian SCI healthcare data and literature for initial cost estimates, adjusted to 2024 Canadian dollars.
• Collected lifetime cost data through direct input from individuals with SCI and clinical professionals.

Main Results:

• The SCI Cost Calculator estimates lifetime costs from $1.9 million (older individuals, incomplete SCI) to over $10 million (younger individuals, complete SCI) in 2024 Canadian dollars.
• Initial costs represent a varying proportion of lifetime costs, from 3% for younger individuals to 24% for older individuals.
• These findings indicate current SCI cost estimates substantially understate the true financial impact on individuals.

Conclusions:

• Current estimates of SCI costs are significantly understated.
• An accurate economic model reflecting the lifetime costs for individuals with SCI is essential for appropriate support.
• Further community engagement is planned to refine the accuracy and validity of the cost calculator.