Understanding Health, Discrimination and Wheelchair Experiences among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Men Living with SCI

Racial/ethnic minorities living with an SCI are at increased risk of secondary health complications, psychological distress, poorer quality of life and poor wheelchair quality. Few rehabilitation studies have explored racially/ethnically diverse persons with SCI perceptions and life experiences to identify the personal, cultural, and contextual factors that may impact their engagement in daily activities. This symposium will outline the methods and findings from a mixed methods study that explored factors associated with perceptions and lived experiences of engaging daily activities. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered across 3 study phases. The symposium will present findings from each phase of the study by highlighting patterns of health outcomes, experiences of discrimination and wheelchair activity observed among diverse men living with paraplegia. Implications of these findings that are needed for targeted interventions will also be discussed.