title: Community integration among adults with spinal cord injuries sustained as children or adolescents.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with community integration of adults who sustained spinal cord injuries as children or adolescents. Outcome measures included the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique and measures of independent living. Independent variables include demographic factors, level of injury, functional independence as measured by the Functional Independence Measure, and perceived health as measured by Short Form-12 physical and mental component scores. Data were analyzed by multiple regression analyses for each of the outcome measures. Two-hundred and sixteen adults (150 males and 66 females) were interviewed. Mean age at interview was 29 years (range 24 to 27 years) and mean age at injury was 14 years (range 0 to 18 years). Results showed that the five factors most strongly associated with community integration were education level, employment, income, functional independence, and health status. Factors that were not associated with community integration included sex, age at injury, duration, and level of injury.
authors.affiliation: Shriners Hospitals for Children, USA. canderson@shrinenet.org
authors.forename: Caroline J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Krajci
authors.forename: Lawrence C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Vogel
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D002641:Chicago; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015143:Philadelphia; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires