Health inequalities and income for people with spinal cord injury. A comparison between and within countries

SSM - Population Health, 2021 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100854 · Published: June 26, 2021

Simple Explanation

This paper examines the relationship between income and health for individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) across different countries. It uses data from the International Spinal Cord Injury survey (InSCI) to estimate the 'health-income gap,' looking at how income affects the number of years lived with SCI and the number of comorbidities (other health problems). The study finds that, on average, wealthier individuals with SCI tend to live longer with their injury and have fewer additional health problems compared to those with lower incomes.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

6445 participants with traumatic SCI from 10 countries

Evidence Level

Cross-sectional, multi-country survey

Key Findings

1
The gap in years lived with SCI varies from 1 to 6 years between the lowest and highest income groups.
2
Injuries caused by work accidents showed the biggest gap in years lived with SCI between income groups.
3
Persons with SCI in poorer deciles reported significantly more comorbidities than people in richer deciles.

Research Summary

This study measures the health-income gap in 10 countries using data on people with SCI. The results show that persons in the richest income groups live longer with the injury and have fewer comorbidities, on average. The study suggests the importance of eliminating barriers that prevent people in poorer groups from getting timely and adequate care.

Practical Implications

Occupational Safety

Implement and enforce occupational safety codes to prevent work-related injuries, especially for low-income groups.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Provide comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services to help low-income individuals with SCI reintegrate into the labor market.

Healthcare Access

Ensure that healthcare systems prioritize access to timely and high-quality services for individuals with SCI in lower-income groups to address comorbidity disparities.

Study Limitations

1
Data concerning reported income levels was not collected with our research objective in mind, which resulted in several countries to be excluded.
2
our results cannot be extrapolated to the population level
3
our study used data on traumatic SCI and excluded non-traumatic causes.

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