title: Health-related quality of life of individuals with traumatic brain injury in Barranquilla, Colombia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Barranquilla, Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one individuals with TBI and 61 healthy controls completed the SF-36, a self-report HRQoL measure composed of eight component areas: physical health problems, pain, role limitations due to physical problems or due to emotional problems, emotional well-being, social functioning, energy/fatigue and general health perceptions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The samples were statistically similar with respect to age, gender and education and statistically different with respect to depression, SES, social support and cognition. Compared to healthy controls, individuals with TBI had significantly lower means on all SF-36 sub-scales. However, after adjusting for depression, SES, social support and cognitive performance, significant differences remained on three of the SF-36 sub-scales. Specifically, individuals with TBI had lower adjusted means on Role-Physical (p-value < 0.005), Role-Emotional (p-value < 0.005) and Bodily Pain (p-value < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even after controlling for depression, SES, social support and cognitive performance, individuals with TBI living in Barranquilla Colombia report having poorer quality of life across various domains, including Role-Physical, Role-Emotional and Bodily Pain. These findings suggest the need for rehabilitation health professionals to develop and implement culturally-appropriate interventions to improve quality of life in Colombian individuals with TBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. jcarangolasp@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Arango-Lasprilla
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krch
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drew
authors.forename: Carlos Jose
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: De Los Reyes Aragon
authors.forename: Lillian Flores
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires