A follow-up study of patients hospitalized after minor head injury.
Minor head injury accounts for 95% of all head injury. In this study 62 patients, hospitalized after minor head injury, were assessed within 48 h, and invited to attend for review and retesting 3 months later. Thirty-five patients were followed up in this way and 11 more were interviewed over the telephone. There was significant improvement on all psychometric tests between initial evaluation and follow-up. Between 51% and 86% reported troublesome late post-concussional symptoms, of which headaches and tiredness were the most frequently reported symptoms. Length of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) was related to severity of symptoms. Clinical levels of anxiety and stress were noted in approximately one-third of the whole group; 95% of the group had returned to work by 3 months with a mean absence rate of 9.4 days. The therapeutic implications of these results are discussed.
Powell
T J
TJ
Psychology Department, Erleigh Road Clinic, Reading, UK.
Collin
C
C
Sutton
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged