Thousands of Canadians live with spinal cord injuries. There are an estimated 86,000 people currently living with spinal cord injuries in Canada, with around 4,300 cases being added every year. These injuries come with huge human and economic effects, costing the Canadian economy $3.6 billion annually.
In 2006, the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute (formerly the Rick Hansen Institute) established the Spinal Cord Injury Research Evidence Project, or SCIRE. SCIRE is an international collaboration of scientists, health professionals, and the community that provides systematic reviews of spinal cord injury research.
The knowledge products produced by SCIRE Professional cover a comprehensive set of topics relevant to spinal cord injury rehabilitation and community reintegration. As of April 2019, the products included over 35 chapters of rated rehabilitation and acute evidence (treatments), 120 outcome measures, 35 instructional videos, various clinical resources, and 14 information sheets. The evidence-based knowledge products are produced by teams of people with expertise in SCI including researchers, clinicians, and members of the community. SCIRE's credibility is a product of the rigorous peer-review process which is in place.
In 2019, Qatalyst conducted an evaluation of SCIRE Professional. The goal was to assess the rationale behind SCIRE Professional, implementation of the Project, and the resulting outcomes. Click the link below and find out how SCIRE Professional improves knowledge of spinal cord injuries, provides useful resources to medical professionals and others, and supports the adoption of best practices to improve delivery of care:
