Citation

Perrin PB, Krch D, Sutter M, Snipes DJ, Arango-Lasprilla JC, Kolakowsky-Hayner SA, Wright J, Lequerica A. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2014; 95(12): 2288-2295.

Affiliation

Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apmr.2014.07.409

PMID

25128715

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether racial/ethnic disparities occur in depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with life at 1 and 2 years post-discharge.

DESIGN: A prospective, longitudinal, multicenter study of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) participating in the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems project. Medical, demographic, and outcome data were obtained from the Model Systems database at baseline, as well as 1 and 2 years post-discharge. SETTING: 16 TBI Model Systems hospitals in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with moderate or severe TBI (N = 1,662) aged 16 or older consecutively discharged between January 2008 and June 2011 from acute care and comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation at a Model Systems hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Satisfaction with Life Scale assessed depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with life at 1 and 2-year follow-ups.

RESULTS: After controlling for all possible covariates, hierarchal linear models found that Black individuals had elevated depression across the two time points relative to Whites. Asian/Pacific Islanders' depression increased over time in comparison to the decreasing depression in those of Hispanic origin, which was a greater decrease than White individuals. Black individuals had lower life satisfaction in comparison to White and Hispanic individuals, but only marginally greater anxiety over time than White individuals; and similar levels of anxiety to Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic individuals.

CONCLUSIONS: Mental health trajectories of individuals with TBI differed as a function of race/ethnicity across the first 2 years post-discharge, providing the first longitudinal evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in mental health after TBI during this time period. Further research will be required to understand the complex factors underlying these differences.

Language: en