Citation

Stenberg M, Stålnacke BM, Saveman BI. J. Clin. Med. 2022; 11(5): e1306.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/jcm11051306

PMID

35268397

Abstract

PURPOSE: To explore the health and well-being of persons seven years after severe traumatic brain injury (STBI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Follow-up of 21 persons 1 and 7 years after STBI using surveys for functional outcome, anxiety/depression, health and mental fatigue. Interviews were conducted and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Convergent parallel mixed method then merged and analysed the results into an overall interpretation.

RESULTS: Good recovery, high functional outcome and overall good health were relatively unchanged between 1 and 7 years. Well-being was a result of adaptation to a recovered or changed life situation. Persons with good recovery had moved on in life. Persons with moderate disability self-estimated their health as good recovery but reported poorer well-being. For persons with severe disability, adaptation was an ongoing process and health and well-being were low. Only a few persons reported anxiety and depression. They had poorer health but nevertheless reported well-being. Persons with moderate and severe mental fatigue had low functional outcomes and overall health and none of them reported well-being.

CONCLUSIONS: The life of a person who has suffered STBI is still affected to a lesser or greater degree several years after injury due to acceptance of a recovered or changed life situation. Further studies are needed on how health and well-being can be improved after STBI in the long-term perspective.

Language: en

Keywords

well-being; health; long-term perspective; mixed method; severe traumatic brain injury