Citation

Whiteneck GG, Tate D, Charlifue S. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 1999; 80(11): 1485-1491.

Affiliation

Craig Hospital, Englewood, CO 80110, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10569445

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of demographic and injury characteristics on the community reintegration of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional and longitudinal examination of individuals with SCI. SETTING: Follow-up of individuals at 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years after SCI who received their initial rehabilitation in a Regional Model Spinal Cord Injury System. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3,835 individuals who met the inclusion criteria for the National SCI Database were studied cross-sectionally, and a subset of 347 individuals who were also enrolled in a longitudinal study of aging with SCI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subscales of the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART). RESULTS: Neurologic classification, age, years postinjury, gender, ethnicity, and education explain 29% of the variance in physical independence, 29% of the variance in mobility, 28% of the variance in occupation. 9% of the variance in social integration, and 18% of the variance in economic self-sufficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Although these factors are inadequate to explain most of the variation in community reintegration (handicap) after SCI, they might appropriately be used to adjust for case-mix differences when comparing rehabilitation facilities and techniques.

Language: en