BREAKING BARRIERS: EMPOWERING LIVES THROUGH INCLUSIVE REHABILITATION

Purpose: Civilian gunshots account for 14-17% of spinal cord injuries in people under 44, and 13% of those are teens which ultimately affects their educational and socioeconomic prospects. Disparity is greater in children whose injury is caused by violence to achieve higher education and move beyond the poverty line. Addressing socio-determinants of health and optimizing care structure within rehabilitation settings can improve long-term outcomes. This abstract presents an initiative to enhance rehabilitation care for youth impacted by violence-induced spinal cord injuries, aiming to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes.

Description: The EMPOWER program enhances well-being, independence, and quality of life for primarily young adults and teens living with spinal cord injuries. It fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive support while emphasizing patient and family education, independence, and societal reintegration through education, employment, fitness, and wellness resources; while simultaneously aiming to prevent additional medical complications.

Summary of Use: From January 2021 to June 2023, this program served 38 patients, primarily males under 20, with an average age of 16. Sixteen successfully reintegrated into education or work, two passed away due to complications, nine sought therapy elsewhere, and the rest are lost to follow up or were concurrently undergoing intensive therapy. Collaborative efforts across the continuum of care track therapy participation, medical appointments, and offer social support, and facilitate the transition to adult care. Specialized programming and targeted communication at each level of care focuses on educational areas such as bowel/bladder care, adaptive sports, financial literacy, and overall independent living skills. For increased success, persistent barriers including transportation, psychological support, accessibility, and health literacy need to be continually addressed through innovative ideas and programming.

Importance to Members: As patients move from inpatient to outpatient care, our program takes a holistic approach, focusing on the eventual goal of community reintegration. Care must shift from daily living skills and generalized diagnosis education to support focused on research, adaptive sports, medical management, and practical life skills. This ongoing support fosters confidence, ensuring success in their rehabilitation journey and community re-entry. The EMPOWER program has shown it is possible with the right supports in place to transition this high risk population back into the community.