Citation

Stevens LF, Ketchum JM, Sander AM, Callender L, Dillahunt-Aspillaga C, Dreer LE, Finn JA, Gary KW, Graham KM, Juengst SB, Kajankova M, Kolakowsky-Hayner S, Lequerica AH, Rabinowitz AR. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/HTR.0000000000000657

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine racial/ethnic disparities in community participation among veterans and active duty service members with traumatic brain injury (TBI). SETTING: Five Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRCs). Participants: Three hundred forty-two community-dwelling adults (251 White, 34 Black, and 57 Hispanic) with TBI enrolled in the VA TBIMS National Database who completed a 1-year follow-up interview. Mean age was 38.6 years (range, 19-84 years).

DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of a prospective observational cohort study. Main Measures: Community participation at 1 year postinjury assessed by 3 domains of the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective (PART-O): Out & About, Productivity, and Social Relations.

RESULTS: Significant differences were observed among race/ethnicity groups in PART-O Productivity and Out & About domains without controlling for relevant participant characteristics; Productivity scores were significantly higher for non-Hispanic Black than for non-Hispanic White participants (t = 2.40, P =.0169). Out & About scores were significantly higher for Hispanic than for non-Hispanic White participants (t = 2.79, P =.0056). However, after controlling for demographic, injury severity, and 1-year follow-up characteristics, only differences in the Out & About domain remained statistically significant (t = 2.62, P =.0094), with scores being significantly higher for Hispanics than for non-Hispanic Whites.

CONCLUSIONS: The results, which differ from findings from studies conducted in non-VA healthcare settings where there are greater racial/ethnic disparities in participation outcomes, could reflect differences between military and civilian samples that may reduce disparities.

Language: en