In the United States, injuries are particularly devastating for black men. This disparity is especially striking given that injury is among the top ten leading causes of death. Data shows that Black men who have been injured in an accident are more likely to die from it, live longer, and suffer psychological symptoms that last long after the initial wounds have healed.
Although there is a lot of research on individual characteristics that predict poor injury recovery, less research has been done on the social and physical aspects of the environment and their impact on injury survivors.
A new study by the School of NursingThe study examines the perceptions and experiences of Black men who have suffered injuries, such as how unsafe they feel and what resources they have available to them for recovery. These findings highlight the importance of the local environment in healing from injury. They also highlight the importance of social support and allocation of resources to injury survivors. This study highlights the need to make changes that can help patients deal with serious injuries in the contexts of neighborhood-level adversity.
Our findings call for important considerations regarding the inpatient and discharge experiences of injured survivors. Marta BrucePenn Nursing and an ICU nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. This article was the lead author. Survivors spoke out about the difficulties they faced in recovery and the importance their social networks, as well as the limited resources they had. Participants shared a deep human need to hear and be treated with respect.
This research demonstrates the importance to intervene at the critical time of the inpatient experience, before discharge, for improved empathetic communication and coordination of mental health services. Also, for better planning for the discharge challenges that our participants raise, Therese Richmond, Andrea B. Laporte Professor in Nursing and Associate Dean for Research & Innovation, Penn Nursing. Co-author of the study.
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