Citation

Alexander M. Spinal Cord Ser. Cases 2019; 5(1): e88.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1038/s41394-019-0232-6

PMID

33077729

Abstract

In July 2019, the UN acknowledged the issues of people with disabilities with respect to climate change as a human rights concern. Of all the causes of disability, spinal cord injury (SCI) with the potential for poikilothermia, difficulties with mobility, sensory dysfunction, and need for external devices easily tops the list as being the most significant condition causing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Rising and rapidly changing temperatures, increased flooding, hurricanes, and potential fires could all wreak havoc on our clients with SCIs. Hence, it is imperative that discussions of climate change and disability include the unique issues of persons with SCIs. Likewise, it is important that we, as professionals, look into the nuances of how our clinical practices can be fine-tuned to ascertain that they are sustainable and that we are doing our best to insure people with SCIs maintain their quality of life despite the impacts of climate change.

Societies such as the International Spinal Cord Society are important to ensure appropriately trained professionals care for those with SCIs and educate others about the unique needs of people with SCIs. Globally, we must also ascertain that we consider the needs of people in countries in various phases of development. However, in a culture of diminishing resources this is difficult, and another reason to think about sustainability.

Sustainability is a relatively new but important topic in the professional literature related to people with SCIs. One way of encouraging sustainability is through virtual...

Language: en