Long-term life quality and family needs after traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
This investigation assessed the life quality and long-term family needs of caregivers of persons with brain injury.


METHODS
Respondents completed the Virginia Traumatic Brain Injury Family Needs Assessment Survey.


METHODS
Community-based sample.


METHODS
Respondents included 57 caregivers of persons with traumatic brain injury who were at least 4 years after injury and who resided in Virginia. Respondents ranged in age from 19 to 82 years and were primarily women and Caucasian.


METHODS
The Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ) and quality of life questions.


RESULTS
Results indicate diminished life quality after injury. With regard to family needs, Health Information (51.43%) and Involvement with Care (47.93%) needs were most often rated as met. Instrumental Support (31.52%) and Professional Support (28.38%) needs were most often rated as not met.


CONCLUSIONS
Family needs and support systems for those needs change over time. This investigation provides evidence that unmet family needs extend well beyond the acute setting and that caregiver life quality diminishes over time. The importance of appreciating long-term family needs and other life quality issues should not be underestimated.
Kolakowsky-Hayner
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Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Richmond, Virginia 23298-0542, USA. sakolako@hsc.vcu.edu
Miner
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KD
Kreutzer
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014768:Virginia