title: The spectrum captured: a methodological approach to studying incidence and outcomes of traumatic brain injury on a population level.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Drawing on the experience of conducting the Brain Injury Incidence and Outcomes New Zealand in the Community study, this article aims to identify the issues arising from the implementation of proposed guidelines for population-based studies of incidence and outcomes in traumatic brain injury (TBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  All new cases of TBI (all ages and severities) were ascertained over a 1-year period, using overlapping prospective and retrospective sources of case ascertainment in New Zealand. All eligible TBI cases were invited to participate in a comprehensive assessment at baseline and at 1-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our experience to date has revealed the feasibility of case ascertainment methods. Consultation with community health services and professionals resulted in feasible referral pathways to support the identification of TBI cases. 'Hot pursuit' methods of recruitment were essential to ensure complete case ascertainment for this population with few additional cases of TBI identified through cross-checks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review of proposed guidelines in relation to practical study methodology provides a framework for future comparable population-based epidemiological studies of TBI incidence and outcomes in developed countries.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neuroscience, School of Rehabilitation and Occupation Studies, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. alice.theadom@aut.ac.nz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Theadom
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barker-Collo
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Feigin
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Starkey
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ameratunga
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Barber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015991:Epidemiologic Measurements; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult