Self-reported psychosocial health among adults with traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the subjective psychosocial health of a population-based sample of adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI).


METHODS
Retrospective, cohort study involving a 1-year postinjury interview.


METHODS
Sixty-two acute care, nonfederal hospitals in South Carolina.


METHODS
Persons (> or =15y) hospitalized with TBI.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
The psychosocial health scales of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey.


RESULTS
Of the 7612 participants, 29% reported poor psychosocial health. Factors associated with poor psychosocial well-being included younger age, female sex, Medicaid coverage, no health insurance, inadequate or moderate social support, comorbidities (eg, a preinjury substance abuse problem), cognitive complaints, and some or a lot of limitation with activities of daily living. Only 36% of participants who reported poor psychosocial health reported receiving any mental health services.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of persons hospitalized with TBI reported poor psychosocial health at 1 year postinjury. To optimize recovery, clinicians need to ensure that patients' psychosocial health needs are addressed during the postacute period.
McCarthy
Melissa L
ML
Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21209, USA. mmccarth@jhmi.edu
Dikmen
Sureyya S
SS
Langlois
Jean A
JA
Selassie
Anbesaw W
AW
Gu
Ja K
JK
Horner
Michael D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile