Predictors of productivity outcomes for secondary and tertiary students following traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Primary objective: This prospective longitudinal study aimed to identify rates and predictors of productivity outcomes (educational or vocational) at 1 year post-injury in young people studying prior to sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods and procedures: A total of n = 145 with complicated mild–severe injuries, studying at secondary (45.2%) or tertiary (54.8%) levels pre-injury, participated. Mean age at injury = 18.6 years (SD = 3.29) and mean duration of PTA = 21.9 days (SD = 27.18). Pre-injury demographic (gender, age, level of study, living situation), injury related (severity, physical injuries) and concurrent post-injury (independence in ADLs and self-reported cognitive, behavioural, emotional sequelae) predictors were entered into logistic regressions.

Main outcomes: Of those participants categorized as ‘productive’ (79.3%), 60% were studying, with 40% employed. Participants with longer PTA and those with reduced initiative and self-centredness were less likely to be ‘productive’. The overall relationship between PTA and productivity appeared to be linear in nature, with PTA duration of more than 80 days, reducing the probability of being productive at 1 year to 50%.

Conclusions: PTA duration and behavioural sequelae were the strongest predictors of productivity in those studying prior to injury. Allied health supports should be targeted towards reducing the impact of and compensating for barriers such as reduced initiative in order to maximize productive outcomes in this group.

• Education
• employment
• outcomes
• productivity
• traumatic brain injury

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Professor John Olver, Dr Michael Ponsford and Dr Rose Acher, who conducted the follow-up interviews with participants. The authors also thank all participants involved in the project, who gave so generously of their time.

Declaration of interest

This project was funded by the Victorian Government Transport Accident Commission (TAC), through the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research (ISCRR). The authors report no conflicts of interest.