Validating the traumatic brain injury-4 screening measure for veterans seeking mental health treatment with psychiatric inpatient and outpatient service utilization data.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a positive screen on the Traumatic Brain Injury-4 (TBI-4) can be used to identify veterans who use more inpatient and outpatient mental health services.


METHODS
Validation cohort.


METHODS
Medical center.


METHODS
Individuals seeking Veterans Health Administration mental health services (N=1493).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
One year of inpatient and outpatient mental health utilization data after the TBI-4 screen date.


RESULTS
In the year postmental health intake, those who answered positively to any of the 4 TBI-4 screening questions (criterion 1) or question 2 (criterion 2; ever having been knocked out) had significantly more psychiatric hospitalizations than those who met neither criterion. Those who were positive by criterion 2 also had significantly fewer outpatient mental health contacts.


CONCLUSIONS
Veterans screening positive for history of traumatic brain injury on the TBI-4 had more hospital stays in the year postmental health intake. Those who reported having been knocked out also had fewer outpatient mental health visits. These findings may suggest an overall relation in this population between greater needs for mental health care and likelihood of prior injury. For those with a history of loss of consciousness, the reduced use of outpatient care may reflect greater problems engaging in treatment or with preventive aspects of the health care system during non-crisis periods. Using a screener (eg, the TBI-4) could facilitate identification of veterans who might benefit from targeted and intensive outpatient interventions to avoid frequent inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO.
Jennifer H
JH
Olson-Madden
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO.
Beeta Y
BY
Homaifar
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO.
Trisha A
TA
Hostetter
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO.
Bridget B
BB
Matarazzo
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO.
Joe
J
Huggins
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO; Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO.
Jeri E
JE
Forster
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO.
Alexandra L
AL
Schneider
Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO; Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO.
Herbert T
HT
Nagamoto
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
John D
JD
Corrigan
Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO; Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neurology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO. Electronic address: Jennifer.Olson-Madden@va.gov.
Lisa A
LA
Brenner
D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans
Brain injuries; Hospitalization; Mental health; Rehabilitation; Utilization [subheading]