Community integration 2 years after moderate and severe traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine community integration by the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) 2 years after injury in a divided TBI sample of moderately and severely injured patients. The second aim was to identify social-demographic, injury-related and rehabilitation associated predictors of CIQ.

Design: A cohort study.

Setting: Outpatient follow-up.

Participants: Fifty-seven patients with moderate (n = 21) or severe (n = 36) TBI were examined with the Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) at 2 years after injury. Possible predictors were analysed in a regression model using CIQ total score at 2 years as the outcome measure.

Main outcome measures: The Community Integration Questionnaire.

Results: At 2 years follow-up, there was significant difference between the moderately and severely injured patients in the productivity scores (p < 0.003), while difference in the total CIQ scores approached the significance level (p = 0.074). Significant predictors of a higher CIQ score were living with a spouse, higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in the acute phase, shorter Post-Traumatic Amnesia (PTA), longer rehabilitation stay (LOS) and use of rehabilitation service. Use of rehabilitation service (B = 7.766) and living with a spouse (B = 4.251) had the largest influence. This means that living with a spouse, better score on the GCS scale, shorter PTA, longer LOS and use of rehabilitation service after discharge equated to better community integration 2 years after TBI

Conclusions: Two years after TBI the moderately injured patients have a higher productivity level than the severely injured patients. Marital status, injury severity and rehabilitation after injury were associated with community integration 2 years after TBI.

• Community integration
• rehabilitation
• traumatic brain injury

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank statistician Are Hugo Pripp at Oslo University Hospital, for his supervision in statistics. To neuropsychologist Eli Torland for performing GOAT tests on our patients. Warm thanks to the team leaders in the brain injury clinic and the ambulant rehabilitation team, special nurse Anne Johansen and special physical therapist Svein Arne Berntsen for their collaboration during the project period. Thanks to ward leader Lars-Otto Nome and physiatrist Rein Knoph and their team colleagues at Clinic for Rehabilitation, Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand, for co-operation and data collection.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. This study has been financed with the aid of EXTRA funds from the Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation.