Depression and anxiety across the first 4 years after mild traumatic brain injury: findings from a community-based study

ABSTRACT

Background: Emotional disorders are considered to contribute to persistent difficulties after mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Few studies have examined anxiety after mild TBI, and fewer have examined comorbid depression and anxiety and their trajectories over time. This study describes depression and anxiety across 48-months after mild TBI in adults (aged >15 years at injury).

Methods: Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in a sample of 341 adults with mild TBI within 2 weeks of injury and then at 6-, 12- and 48-months post-injury.

Results: Mean anxiety and depression total scores decreased significantly over time. Prevalence of depression ranged from 0% to 7.7%, whilst anxiety was present in 3.7–29.5% of cases. Comorbid anxiety and depression prevalence ranged from 10.2% to 20.7%. At each time of assessment, the greatest proportion of individuals had neither depression nor anxiety (range 28–49%). The findings suggest multiple trajectories over time.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that both anxiety and depression need to be screened regularly after mild TBI. Furthermore, it cannot be assumed that someone who initially presents without depression or anxiety will remain free of these as they negotiate life after injury.

KEYWORDS:

• Mild brain injury
• depression
• anxiety
• trajectories

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the New Zealand Health Research Council Project grants 09/063A, 11/192, and 13/408.