Is there any gender or age-related discrepancy in the waiting time for each step in the surgical management of acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury?

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2019 · DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2019.1614291 · Published: January 1, 2019

Simple Explanation

This study investigated if age and gender influence the time it takes to receive surgical care for acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injuries (atcSCI). The researchers wanted to know if there were any biases in the healthcare system related to a patient's age or gender. The study found that older patients tended to stay longer in the hospital, and women were assessed by a surgeon more quickly than men. However, after accounting for pre-existing health conditions, age did not significantly affect waiting times for surgical management. The researchers concluded that while some differences exist, there was no overall age or gender bias in the waiting times for surgical management of atcSCI, suggesting that healthcare decisions were mainly based on clinical needs.

Study Duration

6 Years

Participants

64 individuals with atcSCI (17 women, 47 men; age range: 18–78 years)

Evidence Level

Retrospective cohort study

Key Findings

1
Older age at injury onset was associated with a longer stay in the acute spine care center.
2
Women had a shorter waiting time for surgical assessment than men.
3
No other age or gender bias was identified in the waiting times for the steps in the management of atcSCI.

Research Summary

This retrospective study examined whether age and gender influence waiting times for surgical management of acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (atcSCI). The study found that older age was associated with longer hospital stays, but this was confounded by pre-existing health conditions. Women experienced shorter waiting times for surgical assessment compared to men. The authors concluded that while age and gender can influence some aspects of care, no overall bias was detected in the key steps of surgical management for atcSCI.

Practical Implications

Healthcare Resource Allocation

Understanding the factors that contribute to longer hospital stays for older patients (e.g., pre-existing conditions) can inform strategies for optimizing resource allocation and care pathways.

Addressing Gender Disparities

Further research is needed to understand why women may receive faster surgical assessments, and whether this is due to appropriate prioritization or potential biases.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

The findings support the need for clinical practice guidelines that emphasize equitable access to care based on clinical needs, regardless of age or gender.

Study Limitations

1
Selection bias may occur in any retrospective cohort study.
2
All spine surgeons who work in the participating acute spine trauma center were men.
3
The sample size limited further data analysis including multiple co-variants.

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