Long-term prevalence of impairments and disabilities after multiple trauma.
The prevalence of impairments and disabilities in activities of daily living (ADL), nonwork activities, and work were registered in a consecutive series (n = 69) of subjects with severe injuries. At follow-up 3 years after trauma, residual impairments prevailed in 80%. Only a few (6%) were ADL-dependent. Seventy-six percent had lost at least one nonwork activity, while vocational disability caused by the trauma occurred in 19%. Cognitive impairment was significantly associated with vocational disability, while physical impairment and pain were significantly associated with nonwork disability. Other parameters that influenced vocational disability negatively were age and blue-collar employment status. Although overall changes in social network quantity and quality were small, significantly more subjects with cognitive impairment or vocational disability experienced a decline in the quality and quantity of their social network after trauma. Furthermore, 25% of the subjects reported an increase in feelings of loneliness after trauma. We recommend the design of individualized, multidisciplinary rehabilitation plans before discharge from departments of surgery.
Anke
A G
AG
Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesoddtangen, Norway.
Stanghelle
J K
JK
Finset
A
A
Roaldsen
K S
KS
Pillgram-Larsen
J
J
Fugl-Meyer
A R
AR
D015998:Abbreviated Injury Scale; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000145:classification*; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires