[What happens after the accident? Psychosocial needs of people with traumatic brain injury and their families].
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors that people with a traumatic brain injury and their families perceived as helping to improve their quality of life.


METHODS
Three focus groups and five interviews were conducted with a total of 37 participants: 14 persons with traumatic brain injury and 23 caregivers. A content analysis was conducted. The constant comparative method was applied.


RESULTS
We detected five factors that improved the quality of life of persons with a traumatic brain and their families: 1) Informal support (family and friends); 2) formal support (counseling, employment, built and bureaucratic environment); 3) type of clinical characteristics; 4) social participation, and 5) social visibility.


CONCLUSIONS
The needs expressed by our participants primarily focused on social and emotional factors. For persons with severe traumatic brain injury attempting to achieve the best possible community integration, a new semiology is required, not limited to medical care, but also involving social and psychological care tailored to the needs of each individual and family and their environment.
Institut Guttmann-Hospital de Neurorrehabilitació adscrit a la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, España; Grupo de investigación ECIS (Envejecimiento, Cultura y Salud), Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Girona, Girona, España. Electronic address: mgifre@guttmann.com.
Mariona
M
Gifre
Institut Guttmann-Hospital de Neurorrehabilitació adscrit a la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, España.
Ángel
Á
Gil
Institut Guttmann-Hospital de Neurorrehabilitació adscrit a la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, España.
Laura
L
Pla
Institut Guttmann-Hospital de Neurorrehabilitació adscrit a la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Barcelona, España.
Teresa
T
Roig
Grupo de investigación ECIS (Envejecimiento, Cultura y Salud), Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Girona, Girona, España.
Pilar
P
Monreal-Bosch
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004644:Emotions; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011788:Quality of Life; D058992:Social Participation; D012944:Social Support
Calidad de vida; Community integration; España; Family; Integración a la comunidad; Investigación cualitativa; Qualitative research; Quality of life; Relaciones familiares; Spain; Traumatic brain injury; Traumatismo cerebral