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Affiliation
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Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, Palo Alto, CA; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA; Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: Describe the ongoing Clinical Tracking Form (CTF) study of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC).
DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal study. Data at baseline and post-injury are collected on participants through interview and questionnaire, review of medical records and periodic follow-ups throughout their lifetime. SETTING: A regional DVBIC site located at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PARTICIPANTS: 211 participants (age range, 18-75y) were enrolled between 2005 and 2012 at a regional DVBIC site. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Injury information, functioning and psychological health.
RESULTS: 60% of 211 participants were identified as having severe TBI, 14% moderate TBI, and 26% mild TBI. Of these, 79% participants sustained closed-head injuries, 15% penetrating-head injuries, and 6% were not reported. Comparing the severity of TBI in combat versus stateside situations, most of the mild injuries (71%) occurred in combat locations while most of the severe injuries (62%) occurred stateside. Among those injured in combat, blast-related TBIs (82%) greatly outnumbered non-blast related TBIs, regardless of severity.
CONCLUSION: The CTF study serves as a significant resource of data to understand the impact and outcomes of TBI in the military population. The lifelong experience of military veterans across the full spectrum of TBI and recovery will be recorded through the CTF, and will translate into more informed clinical decisions and educational efforts to guide future research pathways.
Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Language: en |