Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine which demographic, injury, and rehabilitation factors are
associated with employment rates in Hispanic individuals 1 year post traumatic
brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Retrospective study. Setting: Longitudinal dataset of
the TBI Model Systems National Database. PARTICIPANTS: 418 Hispanic individuals
with TBI hospitalized between 1990 and 2009 having year 1 follow-up data (18-55
years and not retired at injury). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Competitive employment
status 1 year post-injury (yes/no). RESULTS: A multiple logistic regression model
indicated that pre-injury employment status, pre-injury level of education,
etiology, days of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA), associated spinal cord injury,
Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor at rehabilitation discharge, and
length of stay in rehabilitation were significant predictors of competitive
employment post-injury, controlling for the effects of each other (all p-values
</= 0.014). Increases in the odds of not being employed post-injury were
associated with not being employed pre-injury, having lower levels of education
pre-injury, etiologies due to violence or falls, increased PTA, an associated
spinal cord injury, lower FIM motor scores, and greater lengths of stay in
rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: The first year post-TBI is critical for recovery and
gainful employment, particularly for Hispanic individuals. Early identification
of factors influencing successful gainful employment and expeditious
implementation of services to ameliorate these issues are paramount in improving
employment outcomes for Hispanic individuals with TBI.

Langue : ANGLAIS