Psychiatric risk factors for traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the risk of sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) associated with prior psychiatric conditions beyond that of fixed demographic variables.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study of non-referred community-dwelling male US veterans.


METHODS
Two-hundred and seventy-one individuals who sustained a TBI with altered consciousness were compared with 630 controls without a history of head injury, selected from a larger sample of 3766.


RESULTS
Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were used to model odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the unique association between pre-existing psychiatric disorders and the likelihood of incurring a TBI while adjusting for demographic characteristics and other known predictor variables. Mood (odds ratio 2.48, 95% confidence interval 1.23-5.01), anxiety (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.01-2.68) and conduct disorders (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.16-2.38) increased the risk of head injury.


CONCLUSIONS
The pre-existence of psychiatric illness, particularly depression, anxiety and conduct disorder, increased the future risk of incurring a TBI. The implementation of early identification and treatment of psychiatric conditions may potentially lower risk and reduce yearly incidence rates of TBI.
Vassallo
Jessica L
JL
Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, James A. Haley VAMC. Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
Proctor-Weber
Zoë
Z
Lebowitz
Brian K
BK
Curtiss
Glenn
G
Vanderploeg
Rodney D
RD
D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans