title: Recovery trajectories for long-term health-related quality of life following a road traffic crash injury: Results from the UQ SuPPORT study.
abstract: Diminished physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a common consequence of road traffic crash (RTC) injury. This study aimed to (a) determine the probable recovery trajectories in physical and mental HRQoL; (b) examine the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on HRQoL scores within these trajectory groups; and (c) examine the influence of predictor covariates on trajectory group membership.
  
  
  
  336 (63% female, Mage=44.72; SD =14.77) injured RTC survivors completed the SF-36v2 at approximately 6, 12, and 24 months after sustaining a RTC injury. Participants also completed telephone interviews to assess prior history of psychological disorder and current PTSD at each wave.
  
  
  
  Three trajectories were identified for SF-36v2 Physical Component Score (PCS): "gradual recovery" (27.3%);"low but improving" (54.7%); and"severe and chronic" (17.9%). Four trajectories were defined for SF36v2 Mental Component Score (MCS): "unaffected" (19.1%);"severe but improving" (24.1%);"severe and declining" (17.3%); and"low but improving" (39.5%). A PTSD diagnosis significantly reduced SF36v2 component scores only in trajectories associated with poorer outcome. Age was predictive of trajectory group membership for PCS, whereas injury severity was predictive of trajectory group membership for MCS.
  
  
  
  Use of a compensation seeking sample affects generalizability to the general RTC population.
  
  
  
  This study identified a concerning subgroup of individuals who have chronic and/or declining physical and mental HRQoL that can be impacted by a diagnosis of PTSD. The development of interventions with a special focus on associated psychological injury is needed to improve the HRQoL of at-risk individuals following RTC injury.
authors.affiliation: Recover Injury Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: j.kenardy@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kenardy
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heron-Delaney
authors.affiliation: Recover Injury Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendrikz
authors.affiliation: Recover Injury Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.affiliation: Recover Injury Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Shannon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Edmed
authors.affiliation: Recover Injury Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors
keywords: Posttraumatic stress disorder; Quality of life; Road traffic crash