Determinants of health-related quality of life 22 years after hospitalization for traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its determinants in a cohort who had sustained a traumatic brain injury 22 years earlier.


METHODS
Cohort study with a postal follow-up survey.


METHODS
Two hundred and fifty-nine individuals with traumatic brain injury responded to the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and General Health Questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30) questionnaires. SF-36 scores were compared with a general population sample (n = 6800). In multiple linear regression analysis determinants of physical and mental component summary scores (PCS, MCS) of SF-36 and the GHQ-30 total score were assessed.


RESULTS
Except on the physical functioning scale, SF-36 scores were lower in the traumatic brain injury cohort than in the general population, after adjusting for age, sex and education. In multiple linear regression analysis, reported psychiatric disease and headache >or=1 day per month were associated with impaired MCS and GHQ-30 total scores. Age, severe headache 3 months after the injury, previous sick leave, lung disease and heart disease were associated with PCS. No injury variable was associated with HRQoL.


CONCLUSIONS
Headache 3 months after traumatic brain injury and later comorbidity were associated with HRQoL 22 years after traumatic brain injury, but there was no association of HRQoL with injury data.
Nestvold
Knut
K
Department of Neurology, Medical Division, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway. knut.nestvold@ahus.no
Stavem
Knut
K
D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D053609:Lethargy / Q000209:etiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires