title: The impact of community rehabilitation for acquired brain injury on carer burden: an exploratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the relative efficacy of a community rehabilitation service and a more traditional outpatient service for carers of people with an acquired brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen carers who had received a community intervention were retrospectively compared with 24 carers who had received an outpatient service. Dependent variables were level of met family need, a measure of family dysfunction, carer psychopathology, and carer emotional acceptance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The community sample fared significantly better on all measures except carer psychopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that community-based services have efficacy for the carer and family. There is a clear need for large clinical trials using standardized instruments to establish what models of service delivery benefit carers.
authors.affiliation: University of Wales, Bangor, UK. mike.smith@lthtr.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Frances L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McConville
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stoddart
authors.forename: Adina R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003153:Community Health Services; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies