People with SCI from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds are at increased risk for wheelchair breakdowns.

Thursday, November 10, 2022

4:14 PM – 4:30 PM

Presenting Author(s)

Nathan Hogaboom, PhD

Research Scientist
Kessler Foundation
West Orange, New Jersey, United States

Slides

Non-presenting Author(s)

Amanda L. Botticello, PhD, MPH

Assistant Director, Center for Outcomes and Assessment & Center for SCI Research
Kessler Foundation
West Orange, New Jersey, United States
Denise C. Fyffe, PhD

Senior Research Scientist
Kessler Foundation
West Orange, New Jersey, United States
Lynn A. Worobey, PhD, DPT, ATP

Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Trevor A. Dyson-Hudson, MD (he/him/his)

Director, Spinal Cord Injury Research
Kessler Foundation
West Orange, New Jersey, United States
Michael Boninger, MD

Professor
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

People with SCI from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds are at increased risk for wheelchair breakdowns and negative consequences from those breakdowns. Prior research has found that consequences from breakdowns is associated with poorer health outcomes. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether people from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds are at increased risk for wheelchair breakdowns and their negative consequences. Wheelchair breakdown, race/ethnicity, and other demographic and injury data from 541 full time wheelchair users with chronic SCI were analyzed. Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black participants had greater risk of one or more wheelchair breakdowns, and negative consequences from those breakdowns. Further research is needed to determine why these relationships were observed and methods of preventing wheelchair breakdowns and their negative consequences.

Learning Objectives:

Understand how wheelchairs can break down and negative consequences from those breakdowns.
Discuss why the relationship between race/ethnicity and wheelchair breakdowns was observed.
Discuss how to prevent wheelchair breakdowns among all people with SCI, and particularly those from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.