Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 10, 2026
Training Persons with Spinal Cord Injury to Ambulate Using a Powered Exoskeleton
Published on: June 16, 2016
Examining inequalities in people with spinal cord injury through functioning
Ana Oña1, Abderrazak Hajjioui2,3, Merce Avellanet4
1Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland.
Background:
Socioeconomic disparities are a persistent determinant of health outcomes, yet limited research has explored how income affects the overall functioning of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Objective:
To examine the relationship between income and health in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), using functioning as a broader health measure.
Methods:
This study analyzed income-related health disparities across income groups in individuals with traumatic SCI from ten countries, using cross-sectional data from the first Internal Spinal Cord Injury Survey (InSCI) and related studies (2017-2019). Functioning was assessed with the brief International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set for SCI. Income was categorized using general population income deciles for comparability.
Results:
Lower-income individuals with SCI had poorer functioning than higher-income groups. The disparity in functioning scores between the highest and lowest income groups ranged from 3 to 14 points, with China showing the largest gap (11 points) and France and Switzerland the smallest (2 and 4 points, respectively). In South Korea, functioning scores were below 40 across all income groups. Age at injury onset significantly influenced disparities, with the greatest gaps among working-age individuals and, in some countries, older adults.
Conclusion:
Income-based income-related health disparities are evident in individuals with SCI, with lower income consistently linked to reduced functioning. The findings emphasize the need to address economic and age-related factors in SCI health interventions across diverse national contexts.
