title: Long-Term Health Service Outcomes Among Women With Traumatic Brain Injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To (1) assess long-term health care service utilization and satisfaction with health care services among women with traumatic brain injury (W-TBI); (2) examine barriers that prevent W-TBI from receiving care when needed; and (3) understand the perceived supports available for W-TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  W-TBI (n=105) 5 to 12 years postinjury and women without TBI (n=105) matched on age, education, and geographic location.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre- and postinjury data were collected using a questionnaire administered via a semistructured interview. Questions on health services utilization, satisfaction with and quality of services, barriers to receiving care, and perceived social support were from the Canadian Community Health Survey; additional questions on perceived social support were from another large-scale study of people with moderate to severe brain injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with women without TBI, W-TBI reported using more family physician and community health services. W-TBI reported that they did not receive care when needed (40%), particularly for emotional/mental health problems. Significantly more W-TBI reported financial and structural barriers. There were no significant differences in reported satisfaction with services between women with and without TBI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health service providers and policymakers should recognize the long-term health and social needs of W-TBI and address societal factors that result in financial and structural barriers, to ensure access to needed services.
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Gurjit K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Toor
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; School of Rehabilitation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jocelyn E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Acquired Brain Injury Program, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Velikonja
authors.affiliation: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizoli
authors.affiliation: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cusimano
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, Division of Physiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cullen
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sokoloff
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: angela.colantonio@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colantonio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002170:Canada; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Brain injuries; Community health services; Rehabilitation; Women