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Affiliation
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Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Division of Public Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, 75 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: haller@fas.harvard.edu. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the relationship between Post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptom severity and Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) after severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
DESIGN: Longitudinal prospective multi-center, cohort study on severe TBI in Switzerland (2007-2011). Injury severity was determined using the Abbreviated Injury Score of the Head region (HAIS), following clinical assessment and initial computed tomography (CT). SETTING: Baseline data was gathered at time/location of the accident. Longitudinal assessments were done at 3, 6, and 12 months post-injury at the hospital, the rehabilitation unit, and/or the patients living facility. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 109 patients with severe TBI were included in the analyses. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: a) HRQoL (SF-12, physical and mental component scales, respectively), b) Self-reported emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal functioning (Patient Competency Rating Scale for Neuro-Rehabilitation [PCRS-NR]).
RESULTS: Multilevel models for patients age >50 and ≤50 respectively, revealed significant negative associations between PTS symptom severity and interpersonal functioning (p≤50=.002; p>50= <.001). Among patients ≤ 50 years, PTS symptom severity was significantly associated with total functioning (p =.001) and emotional functioning (p =.0006). Among all patients, PTS symptom severity was significantly associated with cognitive functioning (p = <.001) and mental HRQoL (p =.01).
CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that PTS symptoms after severe TBI are negatively associated with HRQoL and emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal functioning.
Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Language: en |