Social dimensions to functional gain in pediatric patients

Rehabilitation hospitals recognize the need for holistic patient care and employ professionals who are concerned with the social dimensions of functional independence. However, there have been few empirical studies of the relationship between social variables and functional gain. Functional assessment data for 66 pediatric patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation program were analyzed. Regressing residual gain scores on social variables from the Patient Evaluation and Conference System (a patient tracking data base) showed significance (p less than .01) in pediatric functional gain. Patients whose families were less able to support their independent living before admission made the greatest functional gains. Family support for disabled pediatric patients affected functional gain, affirming the importance of rehabilitation professionals' involvement with the patient's social needs throughout the rehabilitation process.