Gender-related differences in acute rehabilitation lengths of stay, charges, and functional outcomes for a matched sample with spinal cord injury: A multicenter investigation

Objective: To examine the effects of gender on length of stay (LOS), treatment costs, and outcomes by using a matched sample of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design: A 2 X (15 X 3) mixed, block design was used retrospectively to analyze the impact of gender on subjects matched for age, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor impairment classification, and level of neurologic injury. Setting: Twenty medical centers in the federally sponsored Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems project. Participants: One thousand seventy-four adult patients with SCI admitted between 1988 and 1998 were assessed at acute-care admission, inpatient rehabilitation admission, and inpatient rehabilitation discharge. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: ASIA motor index and FIM(TM) instrument admission, discharge, and efficiency scores; rehabilitation LOS and medical care charges; and discharge disposition. Results: Analysis revealed no gender-related differences in FIM motor scores on admission and discharge. No differences in FIM motor efficiencies or daily change were observed. No significant differences were found for ASIA motor scores on acute-care admission and rehabilitation discharge. No differences in acute rehabilitation LOS and charges were observed. No gender-related differences were seen in the likelihood of discharge to an institutional setting. Conclusion: Gender was not a significant factor in functional outcome of SCI patients after acute rehabilitation.