Early Adulthood Outcomes Among Individuals With Neurologic Impairment and Technology Assistance

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health Outcomes
• Neurologic Impairment Research
• Healthcare Utilization Studies

Background:

• Individuals with neurologic impairment and technology assistance (NI+TA) have frequent healthcare interactions.
• Limited data exists on the long-term health outcomes of NI+TA in early adulthood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe acute care utilization (hospitalizations, emergency department visits) in young adults with NI+TA.
• To determine mortality rates among individuals with NI+TA transitioning into adulthood.

Main Methods:

• Population-based retrospective cohort study utilizing health administrative data.
• Included individuals with childhood-onset NI+TA (enterostomy tubes, cerebrospinal fluid shunts, tracheostomies).
• Analyzed outcomes from age 18 to 26, calculating event rates per 100 person-years and using Kaplan-Meier curves for mortality.

Main Results:

• Hospitalizations decreased post-18 years (32.7/100PY) compared to baseline ages 16-17.
• Emergency department visits remained similar (119.0/100PY) compared to baseline.
• Mortality affected 14.4% of the cohort, with higher rates in progressive NI and multiple technology use.

Conclusions:

• Acute care use in early adulthood showed a decrease in hospitalizations but stable ED visits for NI+TA.
• Mortality is a significant concern in this population, especially with progressive neurologic conditions or multiple assistive technologies.
• Further research is needed to understand and improve long-term outcomes for young adults with NI+TA.