title: The Glasgow Outcome Scale - 40 years of application and refinement.
abstract: The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was first published in 1975 by Bryan Jennett and Michael Bond. With over 4,000 citations to the original paper, it is the most highly cited outcome measure in studies of brain injury and the second most-cited paper in clinical neurosurgery. The original GOS and the subsequently developed extended GOS (GOSE) are recommended by several national bodies as the outcome measure for major trauma and for head injury. The enduring appeal of the GOS is linked to its simplicity, short administration time, reliability and validity, stability, flexibility of administration (face-to-face, over the telephone and by post), cost-free availability and ease of access. These benefits apply to other derivatives of the scale, including the Glasgow Outcome at Discharge Scale (GODS) and the GOS paediatric revision. The GOS was devised to provide an overview of outcome and to focus on social recovery. Since the initial development of the GOS, there has been an increasing focus on the multidimensional nature of outcome after head injury. This Review charts the development of the GOS, its refinement and usage over the past 40 years, and considers its current and future roles in developing an understanding of brain injury.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton Campus, Wellington Road, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ponsford
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Harvey
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teasdale
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bond
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results