title: Quality-of-life after brain injury in childhood: time, not severity, is the significant factor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the impact of acquired brain injury (ABI) on the long-term quality-of-life (QoL) in children and youth. The objectives of this study were to illustrate the long-term QoL trajectories at 5 years post-ABI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The QoL of children between 5-18 years (n = 94) admitted to McMaster Children's Hospital with ABI were assessed longitudinally for a minimum of 5 years post-injury using the Child Health Questionnaire. Independent t-tests were used to examine differences in QoL between the study cohort and a normative sample at different time points. Mixed-effects models were used to identify predictors for QoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The QoL of children with ABI was significantly poorer (p < 0.05) than the normative data on all domains and at all-time points except at baseline. The CHQ physical summary score (PHSS) showed a significant decline immediately after injury and a significant recovery at 8 months post-injury; while the CHQ psychosocial summary score (PSSS) showed a significant immediate decline, which remained over the course of the study. Pre-morbid school record, time post-injury and mechanism of injury significantly predicted the CHQ PSSS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QoL is impacted by ABI regardless of severity. This impact is further affected by time post-injury.
authors: School of Rehabilitation Science .
authors: Carol A
authors: CA
authors: DeMatteo
authors: Steven E
authors: SE
authors: Hanna
authors: Reza
authors: R
authors: Yousefi-Nooraie
authors: Chia-Yu A
authors: CY
authors: Lin
authors: William J
authors: WJ
authors: Mahoney
authors: Mary C
authors: MC
authors: Law
authors: Dayle
authors: D
authors: McCauley
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors