Disparities in Functional Outcomes during Inpatient Rehabilitation between American Indian/Alaska Native and White Children

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children have a high risk for poor health outcomes. Race/ethnicity and functional impairments are linked with health care disparities. While data exist for other race/ethnicity groups, little is known about outcomes for AI/AN children with functional impairments. In this study the Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM®) was used to determine differences in outcomes between AI/AN and White children receiving inpatient rehabilitation for functional impairments at one pediatric rehabilitation facility. American Indian/Alaska Native and White children had similar impairment types and functional levels at admission to inpatient rehabilitation. Both groups experienced functional improvement during rehabilitation. At discharge, AI/AN children had lower total functional scores and had less improvement in mobility scores compared with White children, with more impairment in physical mobility at discharge. This is one of the first studies to show a disparity in functional outcomes for AI/AN children compared with White children during inpatient rehabilitation.