Long-term outcomes after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury among military veterans: Successes and challenges

Abstract

Objective: To assess long-term outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) among veterans and service members.

Setting: Regional Veterans Affairs medical centre.

Participants: One hundred and eighteen veterans and military personnel, aged 23–70 years (median = 35 years), 90% male, had moderate-to-severe TBI (82% in coma > 1 day, 85% amnesic > 7 days), followed by acute interdisciplinary rehabilitation 5–16 years ago (median = 8 years).

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of live interviews conducted via telephone.

Main measures: TBI follow-up interview (occupational, social, cognitive, neurologic and psychiatric ratings), Community Integration Questionnaire, Disability Rating Scale (four indices of independent function) and Satisfaction with Life Scale.

Results: At follow-up, 52% of participants were working or attending school; 34% ended or began marriages after TBI, but the overall proportion married changed little. Finally, 22% were still moderately-to-severely disabled. However, 62% of participants judged themselves to be as satisfied or more satisfied with life than before injury. Injury severity, especially post-traumatic amnesia, was correlated with poorer outcomes in all functional domains.

Conclusions: After moderate–severe TBI, most veterans assume productive roles and are satisfied with life. However, widespread difficulties and functional limitations persist. These findings suggest that veteran and military healthcare systems should continue periodic, comprehensive follow-up evaluations long after moderate-to-severe TBI.

Keywords:

• Outcome
• rehabilitation
• social reintegration
• traumatic brain injury
• work

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Elizabeth Martin for assistance in study design; Carmelinda Mann, David Horton and Jennifer Zahm for managing data; and Margaret Long, Nancy Laurenson, Carmelinda Mann, Joyce Chung and Tammy Torres for manuscript editing. Preliminary findings were presented at the annual meetings of the Association of Academic Physiatrists, April 2007, San Juan, PR; and the International Neuropsychological Society, February 2009, Atlanta, GA.

Declaration of interest

This material is based upon work supported in part by the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC). The authors report no conflicts of interest. The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this article are those of the authors and should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy or decision unless so designated by other official documentation.