A profile of outcome: 2 years after traumatic brain injury

TLDR

Severe traumatic brain injury often leads to long‑term physical and psychological challenges, underscoring the need for sustained community‑based support after discharge. The study followed 175 TBI patients who had completed intensive rehabilitation, conducting a 2‑year post‑injury interview that assessed outcomes across ten domains including medical, mobility, ADLs, social, and cognitive functions. Two years after injury, most patients were physically independent in daily activities, yet a third required assistance with community skills and transport, over half of former workers were unemployed, and roughly two‑thirds reported cognitive, behavioral, and emotional changes.

Abstract

A group of 175 traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients who had undergone intensive rehabilitation at Bethesda Hospital attended a follow-up interview 2 years after injury. The majority of patients had suffered severe TBI. Outcome was documented in ten areas: medical/physical, mobility, activities of daily living (ADLs) accommodation, marital status, leisure and recreation, employment/study, communication, cognition and behaviour. Whilst most patients were physically independent and competent in personal and domestic activities of daily living, a third of the group were still reliant on assistance with community skills and transport, and more than half of those who previously had a job, were not working at 2 years post-injury. Around two-thirds of the sample reported cognitive, behavioural and emotional changes. There is clearly a need for ongoing community-based support and assistance in dealing with practical difficulties and psychological problems as they are experienced after return to the community.