OBJECTIVE: Present initial descriptive findings from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRC) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model Systems (MS) National Database.
DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: VA PRC TBIMS National Database. PARTICIPANTS: 712 service members and veterans with TBI who consented to participate between January 2010 and June 2015. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOMES: Demographics, pre-injury characteristics, injury characteristics, rehabilitation course, functional outcomes and discharge disposition by TBI severity level.
RESULTS: Cohort was predominantly male with moderate to severe TBI secondary to vehicular accident or blast injury. Sixty-five percent were active duty service members; one-third injured during deployment. One-third reported mental health treatment and/or alcohol use problems in the year predating the index TBI. Median number of days between injury and PRC admission was 42.5. Nearly 25% reported clinical levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); 75% reported mild to moderate neurobehavioral symptomatology. Median length of stay in the PRC was 36 days; those with severe TBI had the longest lengths of stay. Functional independence ratings improved from admission to discharge across all TBI severity levels. A majority were discharged to urban areas to reside with spouses or other residents in private residences or adult homes, with some variability by injury severity CONCLUSIONS: The VA PRC TBIMS national database is a rich source of information on a unique group of individuals with TBI and promises to complement existing knowledge on TBI in the civilian population.