title: Trajectories of physical health in the first 5 years after traumatic brain injury.
abstract: The aims of the study were to examine whether self-reported physical health changes over the first 5 years after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and whether the trajectories of physical health over that time period could be predicted by demographic and injury-related variables. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted with 97 individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI who had been admitted to a Trauma Referral Centre in 2005/2007. Patients were followed up at 1, 2 and 5 years post-injury. Physical health-related quality of life (HRQL) (i.e., physical health) was measured by four subscales of the Medical Outcomes 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36): Physical Functioning, Role-Physical, Bodily Pain and General Health. Only the Physical Functioning domain showed statistically significant improvements across time. Women had lower scores on Role-Physical, Bodily Pain (more pain) and General Health. Unemployment prior to injury and having been in a "blue collar" physical job was associated with lower Physical Functioning and General Health, while greater TBI severity was associated with lower Physical Functioning, but better Role-Physical. Bodily Pain, Role-Physical and General Health remained fairly stable over time, despite the improvement in Physical Functioning. There were a number of significant injury-related and demographic predictors across the four trajectories of physical health. A better understanding of factors influencing these domains over the first 5 years after TBI and effective pain reducing rehabilitation strategies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway, nandelic@online.no.
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andelic
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: Marit V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Forslund
authors.forename: Helene L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Soberg
authors.forename: Solrun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sigurdardottir
authors.forename: Unni
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sveen
authors.forename: Tone
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jerstad
authors.forename: Cecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult