Traumatic brain injury and functional outcomes: does minority status matter?
OBJECTIVE
(1) to determine differences between minorities vs. non-minorities on demographic, injury and rehabilitation characteristics and functional outcomes at admission, discharge and 1-year post-injury and (2) to examine differences in functional outcome at 1-year post-injury among (African-Americans, Hispanics and Whites).


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Longitudinal data were extracted from the TBI Model Systems database.


METHODS
4929 individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI (3354 Whites vs. 1575 Minorities: 1207 African-Americans and 368 Hispanics) hospitalized between 1989-2004.


METHODS
Functional outcomes at 1-year post-injury (Disability Rating Scale, Functional Independence Measure, Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended and Community Integration Questionnaire).


RESULTS
At discharge and 1-year post-injury, minorities had poorer functional outcomes compared with Caucasians on all measures. After controlling for sociodemographic, injury and functional characteristics at admission, Hispanics and African-Americans still showed worse functional outcomes at 1-year post-injury compared with Whites on the DRS, FIM and CIQ. There were no significant differences between African Americans and Hispanics.


CONCLUSIONS
Minorities had significantly reduced long-term functional outcome after rehabilitation relative to Whites. It is imperative that rehabilitation professionals' consider factors related to poorer long-term functional outcome and work to improve the quality of life of minorities with TBI.
Arango-Lasprilla
Juan Carlos
JC
Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, NJ, USA. jcarangolasp@vcu.edu
Rosenthal
Mitchell
M
Deluca
John
J
Komaroff
Eugene
E
Sherer
Mark
M
Cifu
David
D
Hanks
Robin
R
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D044465:White People