title: Mild traumatic brain injury after motor vehicle collisions: what are the symptoms and who treats them? A population-based 1-year inception cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the 1-year course of symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) sustained in a motor vehicle collision as well as patterns of care-seeking.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-year follow-up of a population-based inception cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  The province of Saskatchewan, Canada, with a population of about 1,000,000 inhabitants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Persons (N=1716) sustaining an MTBI during a car collision between November 1997 and December 1999.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the prevalence of sleep disturbances, tiredness, dizziness, forgetfulness, vision problems, hearing problems, headache, neck pain, mid back pain, and low back pain at 6 weeks and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postcollision. At the same time points, we report self-reported care-seeking from registered health care professionals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1716 adults suffered MTBI after a motor vehicle collision over the 2-year inception period. Six weeks after the collision, 75% reported having more than 3 symptoms and 30% had clinically significant pain in more than 3 body sites. Over time, the prevalence of symptoms and pain decreased but they were still common after 1 year. Almost all participants sought care for their symptoms at all time points, most commonly from a physician. Care-seeking from physiotherapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists was also very common, and most participants sought care from 2 or 3 providers at all follow-up points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Up to 1 year after sustaining an MTBI during a motor vehicle collision, multiple symptoms and pain in several anatomical sites are common. Care-seeking from multiple providers continues throughout the first year postinjury.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, Odense, Denmark. Electronic address: jhartvigsen@health.sdu.dk.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hartvigsen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Health Care and Outcomes Research, Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J David
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Carroll
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
keywords: Brain concussion; Cohort studies; Health care seeking behaviour; Rehabilitation