Race differences in a sample of vocational rehabilitation clients with traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate race differences in demographics, injury severity, and vocational outcomes for persons with TBI.


METHODS
Seventy-five individuals with TBI (13 African American, 62 Caucasian) who requested services from the Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) over a 2-year period.


METHODS
Demographics (i.e. age, race, level of education), injury severity (i.e. LOC, PTA, length of hospitalization, neuropsychological test scores), VR services provided (e.g. transportation, maintenance, on-the-job training, etc.), and VR outcomes (successfully vs unsuccessfully employed; cost per case).


METHODS
All participants completed a standard neuropsychological evaluation and completed VR services (i.e. were followed from enrollment to case closure).


OBJECTIVE
African Americans and Caucasians would not differ in demographics or injury severity, although fewer African Americans would be successfully employed through DVR.


METHODS
Chi-squares and non-parametric MANOVAs to evaluate race differences in terms of demographics, injury severity, vocational services provided and vocational outcomes.


RESULTS
As hypothesized, there were few race differences in demographics or injury severity, although African Americans received significantly more transportation services (62 vs 21%). Contrary to hypotheses, there was no difference in the number of successfully employed African Americans (23%) vs Caucasians (18%).


CONCLUSIONS
African Americans and Caucasians with TBI achieve similar vocational successes if they receive state VR services.
Johnstone
Brick
B
University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA. johnstoneg@health.missouri.edu
Mount
David
D
Gaines
Timothy
T
Goldfader
Peggy
P
Bounds
Tab
T
Pitts
Otis
O
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D017677:Age Distribution; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008923:Missouri; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People