Project Type
independent
Project Lead Center
Project Start Date
10/01/2012
Project End Date
09/30/2017

Racial and ethnic minorities comprise an increasingly large proportion of the U.S. population and make up the majority of residents in certain areas. Historically, people in racial/ethnic minority groups are more likely than non-Hispanic Caucasians to experience health inequalities and have limited understanding of health issues.The first phase of this study is descriptive. We will collect data on culturally diverse patients with TBI from Bellevue Hospital who have been admitted into acute inpatient rehabilitation. Data will be collected over the five year grant cycle and will examine the patients’ race/ethnicity, acculturation, family support, trust in health care providers, and health and language literacy as related to retention in healthcare after discharge from acute inpatient rehabilitation. The second phase of the study will involve the development of the Multimedia Multicultural Educational Program for TBI (MMEPT) to provide patients with culturally-accessible knowledge about their TBI and the rehabilitation process to facilitate improved outcomes, particularly return for follow-up outpatient care.