Traumatic spinal cord injury in West Virginia: Impact on long-term outcomes by insurance status and discharge disposition

Abstract

Objectives: Specialized rehabilitation is important for people with traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) to optimize function, independence and mitigate complications, and access to this service varies by the payor. In West Virginia, admission to acute rehabilitation facilities is a “non-covered entity,” impeding access to this care for patients with SCI and Medicaid. Our previous work examined the discharge disposition from an acute care hospital of patients with and without Medicaid and found that Medicaid patients were almost twice as likely to be discharged home or to a nursing home, despite similar injury severity and younger age compared to non-Medicaid patients. West Virginia is a largely rural state with multiple health-care challenges. A lack of availability of rehabilitation facilities for Medicaid beneficiaries likely explains this difference. This present study examines the relationship between insurance coverage, discharge disposition at time of injury, and long-term outcomes for people in West Virginia with traumatic SCI. Materials and Methods: This study utilized a retrospective chart review and telephone survey from a Level 1 Trauma Center in West Virginia. Participants included 200 patients with traumatic SCI from 2009 to 2016 in West Virginia. Thirty-four patients completed the survey through telephone interviews, with another 16 completing the survey but declining to answer economic questions. Survey participants were asked the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART), which indicates the degree of impairment, and disability; they experience years after initial injury and rehabilitation. Proportional odds regression models, a regression model generalization of the Wilcoxon rank sum test, were employed where normal distribution of the response variables was not assumed and was performed, controlling for age and injury severity. Results: Total CHART score correlated with discharge disposition (P = 0.01). Insurance type correlated with mobility sub-score (P = 0.03). Conclusion: Patients discharged to a rehabilitation center have overall higher CHART scores post-injury, indicating better long-term outcomes than those discharged home or a nursing home. People with Medicaid as payors had lower scores for mobility than those with other insurance coverage.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Rehabilitation Outcomes of Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Spinal 1 Cord Injury Patients: A Comparative Study Across Different Time Periods

“…In other countries, the incidence rates of SCI also vary widely. According to data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center in the United States, the estimated annual incidence of SCI is approximately 17,700 new cases per year or about 54 cases per million population [4,5]. However, it's di cult to make a direct comparison of incidence rates between countries due to differences in the populations being studied and other factors.…”

The Impact of COVID-19 on Epidemiological Features of Spinal Cord Injury in Wuhan, China: A Comparative Study in Different Time Periods

“…In other countries, the incidence rates of SCI widely vary. According to data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center in the United States, the estimated annual incidence of SCI is approximately 17,700 new cases per year or about 54 cases per million population [4,5]. However, it is difficult to make a direct comparison of incidence rates between countries due to differences in the populations being studied and other factors.…”

Long-Term Impact of Trauma in Twins

“…For those who survive a severe traumatic injury, the personal costs are subjectively substantial but may be difficult to objectively quantify. Previous studies attempting to do this have determined that many factors are associated with long-term outcomes, including injury severity, age, sex, presence of traumatic brain injury, insurance status, and household size …”