Article

OBJECTIVES: (1) To compare the proportions of divorce/separation between
races/ethnicities at 1, 2, and 5 years post spinal cord injury (SCI); (2) to
examine changes in proportions of divorce/separation over time within each
race/ethnicity group; and (3) to compare the changes in proportions of
divorce/separation over time between races/ethnicities. DESIGN: Retrospective
study. SETTING: Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of
participants married preinjury (N=1528; 1108 whites, 258 blacks, 162 Hispanics)
was selected from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center database
from 1988 to 1998. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Proportion of separation/divorce at 1, 2, and 5 years postinjury for each
race/ethnic group. RESULTS: At all postinjury years (1, 2, 5y), blacks had
significantly greater odds of divorce/separation versus staying married than
Hispanics. In addition, whites had significantly greater odds of
divorce/separation versus staying married compared with Hispanics at 1 and 2
years postinjury. People with SCI of all races/ethnicities showed significantly
greater increases in the odds of divorce/separation versus staying married over
time (1-2, 2-5, 1-5y postinjury). Although there was evidence that the
races/ethnicities were significantly different at each postinjury year, and that
each race/ethnicity showed significant increases in the proportion of
divorce/separation over time, there was no indication that the increases in the
divorce/separation over time were significantly different among the race/ethnic
groups. CONCLUSIONS: Family therapists and rehabilitation professionals should
work together to reduce the separation and divorce rates in all subjects with
SCI, with special attention paid to meeting the specific needs of those with
minority backgrounds.

Langue : ANGLAIS