Citation

Kreitzer N, Bakas T, Kurowski B, Lindsell CJ, Ferioli S, Foreman B, Ngwenya LB, Thomas S, Keegan S, Adeoye O. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine (Drs Kreitzer and Adeoye and Mss Thomas and Keegan), Division of Neurocritical Care (Drs Kreitzer and Adeoye), Department of Neurology (Drs Ferioli, Foreman, and Ngwenya), Collaborative for Research on Acute Neurological Injury, and Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati, Ohio (Drs Foreman and Ngwenya); University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Ohio (Dr Bakas); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Ohio (Dr Kurowski); and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee (Dr Lindsell).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/HTR.0000000000000525

PMID

31479080

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Survivors of moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) require substantial care, much of which is ultimately provided by friends and family. We sought to describe the unmet needs of informal caregivers.

DESIGN: Qualitative, semistructured interviews with informal caregivers of moderate and severe TBI survivors were conducted 72 hours, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after injury. SETTING: Intensive care unit of a level 1 trauma center. PARTICIPANTS: Informal caregivers were friends or family who planned to provide care for the patient. Patients were 18 years or older with a moderate to severe TBI, and not expected to imminently die of their injuries. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eighteen patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled. Fifty-three interviews with caregivers were completed and analyzed over the course of 6 months. Three themes were identified in the qualitative analysis: caregiver burden, caregiver health-related quality of life, and caregiver needs for information and support.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new information about the experience of informal caregivers during the 6 months after their friend or family member survived a moderate to severe TBI. Interventions to promote caregiving may be a substantial opportunity to improve patient-centered outcomes following TBI.

Language: en