J Head Trauma Rehabil

Objective:

To evaluate the impact of physical, mental, and total health condition burden on functional outcome and life satisfaction up to 10 years after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Setting:

Six TBI Model Systems centers.

Participants:

393 participants in the TBI Model Systems National Database.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Main Measures:

Self-reported physical and mental health conditions at 10-years post-injury. Functional Independence Measure Motor and Cognitive subscales and the Satisfaction with Life Scale measured at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years.

Results:

In 10-year longitudinal individual growth curve models adjusted for covariates and inverse probability weighted to account for selection bias, greater physical and mental health co-morbidity burden were negatively associated with functional cognition and life satisfaction trajectories. Physical, but not mental, co-morbidity burden was negatively associated with functional motor trajectories. Higher total health burden was associated with poorer functional motor and cognitive trajectories and lower life satisfaction.

Conclusions:

This study offers evidence that co-morbidity burden negatively impacts longitudinal functional and life satisfaction outcomes after TBI. The findings suggest better identification and treatment of co-morbidities may benefit life satisfaction, functional outcome, reduced healthcare costs, and decreased re-injury. Specific guidelines are needed for the management of co-morbidities in TBI populations.

32108718

PMC7335323

Journal Article

CDC Public Access