OBJECTIVE: This study examined racial/ethnic differences in 5-year functional independence and life satisfaction trajectories among SMVs who had undergone acute rehabilitation at one of five Veterans Affairs (VA) TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRCs).
METHODS: Differences in demographic and injury-related factors were assessed during acute rehabilitation among White (n = 663), Black (n = 89), and Hispanic/Latine (n = 124) groups. Functional Independence Measure (FIM) Motor, FIM Cognitive, and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) scores were collected at 1, 2, and 5 years after injury. Racial/ethnic comparisons in these outcome trajectories were made using hierarchical linear modeling.
RESULTS: Black SMVs were less likely than White and Hispanic/Latine SMVs to have been deployed to a combat zone; there were no other racial/ethnic differences in any demographic or injury-related variable assessed. In terms of outcomes, no racial/ethnic differences emerged in FIM Motor, FIM cognitive, or SWLS trajectories.
CONCLUSIONS: The absence of observable racial/ethnic differences in 5-year outcome trajectories after TBI among SMVs from VA TBIMS PRCs contrasts sharply with previous research identifying disparities in these same outcomes and throughout the larger VA health care system. Individuals enrolled in VA PRCs are likely homogenized on key social determinants of health that would otherwise contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in outcome trajectories.
目的:本研究调查了在5个VATBI模型系统(TBIMS)多伤康复中心(PRCs)之一进行过急性康复的SMV的5年功能独立性和生活满意度轨迹的种族/民族差异。
方法:在急性康复期间评估白种人的人口统计学和损伤相关因素的差异(n=663),
结果:与白人和西班牙裔/拉丁裔SMV相比,黑色SMV部署到战区的可能性较小;在评估的任何人口统计学或伤害相关变量中,没有其他种族/民族差异。
结论:来自VATBIMSPRCs的SMV在TBI后的5年结果轨迹中没有可观察到的种族/民族差异,这与先前的研究形成了鲜明的对比,这些研究在这些相同的结果中以及整个更大的VA医疗保健系统中的差异。