Insurance disparities are associated with worse post-rehabilitation outcomes in gunshot vs. motor vehicle accident spinal cord injury: a retrospective cohort study

Insurance disparities influence orthopedic surgical decision-making, IPR length, and complication burden in SCI patients. Patients with GSW-related SCIs, despite being younger, experienced more severe injuries, lower surgical intervention rates, and higher post-discharge healthcare utilization. These findings highlight the need for equitable access to spine surgery, rehabilitation, and follow-up care to optimize outcomes across trauma mechanisms.