Disability in young people and adults one year after head injury: prospective cohort study

<h3>Abstract</h3> <b>Objective:</b> To determine the frequency of disability in young people and adults admitted to hospital with a head injury and to estimate the annual incidence in the community. <b>Design:</b> Prospective, hospital based cohort study, with one year follow up of sample stratified by coma score. <b>Setting:</b> Five acute hospitals in Glasgow. <b>Subjects:</b> 2962 patients (aged 14 years or more) with head injury; 549 (71%) of the 769 patients selected for follow up participated. <b>Main outcome measures:</b> Glasgow outcome scale and problem orientated questionnaire. <b>Results:</b> Survival with moderate or severe disability was common after mild head injury (47%, 95% confidence interval 42% to 52%) and similar to that after moderate (45%, 35% to 56%) or severe injury (48%, 36% to 60%). By extrapolation from the population identified (90% of whom had mild injuries), it was estimated that annually in Glasgow (population 909 498) 1400 young people and adults are still disabled one year after head injury. <b>Conclusion:</b> The incidence of disability in young people and adults admitted with a head injury is higher than expected. This reflects the high rate of sequelae previously unrecognised in the large number of patients admitted to hospital with an apparently mild head injury.