The relationship between age and the self-report of health symptoms in persons with traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of age on health problems related to traumatic brain injury (TBI).


METHODS
Case-control study using a survey instrument.


METHODS
Outpatient setting of a large urban tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
Young and old community dwellers with histories of TBI and control subjects matched for age.


METHODS
Structured interview using the Living Life After TBI assessment tool.


METHODS
Symptom reporting on 52 potential health problems.


RESULTS
Individuals with TBI reported significantly more overall health problems than those without TBI. Younger subjects with TBI reported more problems than their nondisabled, age-matched peers with their patterns of sleep as well as with their metabolic/endocrine, neurologic, and musculoskeletal systems.


CONCLUSIONS
Older people with TBI were more likely than nondisabled, age-matched peers to report problems with their metabolic/endocrine and neurologic systems. Younger people with TBI were more likely than older people with TBI to report difficulty falling asleep.
Breed
Sabrina T
ST
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. Sabrina.Breed@msnyuhealth.org
Flanagan
Steven R
SR
Watson
Kathleen R
KR
D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology