title: Assistive technology and veterans with severe disabilities: examining the relationships among race, personal factors, medical support, income support, and use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine the relationship among assistive technology (AT), race, and other demographic characteristics (eg, sex, educational attainment, and employment status), medical coverage, as well as government support for veterans with severe disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were analyzed from the Rehabilitation Services Administration-911 dataset collected in the United States in 2012. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among veterans with severe disabilities, factors that increased AT usage for European Americans (EAs) and African Americans (AAs) were employment, medical coverage (eg, access to private insurance and Medicare), government support (eg, Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Income), and having a sensory type of disability. Having a mental disability was associated with decreased use of AT for EAs and AAs. Whereas EAs) had more factors associated with a decreased likelihood of using AT, AAs had more factors associated with an increased likelihood. For EA veterans with severe disabilities, receiving Medicaid, veteran benefits, and Workers' Compensation were associated with a decreased likelihood of using AT. AA veterans with severe disabilities were 60% less likely to use AT compared with EAs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Racial differences between AAs and EAs were observed in the use of AT by veterans with severe disabilities based on sex, education, employment status, medical coverage, and government support. AAs were generally less likely to use AT; however, greater exposure to resources such as employment, insurance, and government income support partially explained the differential AT use between EAs and AAs. Future policies and research should address these racial disparities in veterans with severe disabilities to promote equitable AT use and healthy functioning.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL †Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA ‡Counseling Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL.
authors.forename: Reginald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alston
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Shondra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loggins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012737:Sex Factors; D012943:Social Security / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*