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Purpose. To characterize societal participation profiles after moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) along objective (Frequency) and subjective (Satisfaction, Importance, Enfranchisement) dimensions. Materials and Methods. We conducted secondary analyses of a TBI Model Systems sub-study (N = 408). Multiaxial assessment of participation included the Participation Assessment with Recombined Tools-Objective and -Subjective questionnaires (Participation Frequency and Importance/Satisfaction, respectively) and the Enfranchisement Scale. Participants provided responses via telephone interview 1–15 years post-injury. Multidimensional participation profiles (classes) were extracted using latent profile analysis. Results. A 4-class solution was identified as providing maximal statistical separation between profiles and being clinically meaningful based on profile demographic features. One profile group (48.5% of the sample) exhibited the "best" participation profile (High Frequency, Satisfaction, Importance, and Enfranchisement) and was also the most advantaged according to socioeconomic indicators. Other profile groups showed appreciable heterogeneity across participation dimensions. Age, race/ethnicity, education level, ability to drive, and urbanicity were features that varied between profiles. Conclusions. Societal participation is a critical, but inherently complex, TBI outcome that may not be adequately captured by a single index. Our data underscore the importance of a multidimensional approach to participation assessment and interpretation using profiles. The use of participation profiles may promote precision health interventions for community integration. Our study found unidimensional measures of societal participation in traumatic brain injury (TBI) populations that focus exclusively on frequency indicators may be overly simplistic and miss key subjective components of participation Taking a multidimensional perspective, we documented four meaningfully distinct participation subgroups (including both objective and subjective dimensions of societal participation) within the TBI rehabilitation population Multidimensional profiles of participation may be used to group individuals with TBI into target groups for intervention (e.g., deeper goal assessment for individuals who do not rate standard participation activities as important, but also do not participate and do not feel enfranchised). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With greater survival rates after catastrophic injury, more women with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are living longer than ever. However, knowledge about this transition in these women is largely unexamined and there are no scales that have been developed to assess the experience of symptoms. To address this gap, we developed and tested a new scale of menopause symptoms in midlife women with TBI. We selected candidate items from two existing measures based on feedback from focus group discussions with seven women with TBI. Twenty candidate items were tested in cognitive interviews with six women with TBI/1 non-TBI. Then, these were field tested with 221 participants (TBI, n = 68; non-TBI, n = 153) recruited from registries. Rasch analysis and convergent validity testing were used to evaluate the new scale. Results of the Rasch analysis indicate that overall, the scale fits well the Rasch model with evidence for unidimensionality. Differential item functioning indicated that the scale performed equally well for women with and without TBI and distinguished pre- and post-menopausal states. Convergent validity was found in the expected directions. These findings support further development of the new scale to understand the experience of menopause symptoms among women with TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the sociodemographic and study factors involved in enrollment in the Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (TBIMS) database, this study examined the effect of a variety of variables on enrollment at a local TBIMS center. A sample of 654 individuals from the local TBIMS center was studied examining enrollment by age, gender, race, ethnicity, homelessness status at date of injury, history of homelessness, health insurance status, presence of social support, primary language, consenting in hospital or after discharge, and the need for an interpreter. Binary logistic regression was conducted to identify variables that predict center-based enrollment into TBIMS. Results demonstrated that older age was associated with decreasing enrollment (OR = 0.99, p = 0.01), needing an interpreter made enrollment less likely (OR = 0.33, p < 0.01), being primarily Spanish speaking predicted enrollment (OR = 3.20, p = 0.02), Hispanic ethnicity predicted enrollment (OR = 7.31, p = 0.03), and approaching individuals in the hospital predicted enrollment (OR = 6.94, p < 0.01). Here, OR denotes the odds ratio estimate from a logistic regression model and P denotes the corresponding p-value. These results can be useful in driving enrollment strategies at this center for other similar TBI research, and to contribute a representative TBI sample to the national database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: People with traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lack awareness of their own emotions and often have problems with emotion dysregulation, affective disorders, and empathy deficits. These impairments are known to impact psychosocial behaviors and may contribute to the burden experienced by care partners of individuals with TBI. OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of emotional awareness, emotional functioning, and empathy among participants with TBI with care partner burden. METHOD: This multisite, cross-sectional, observational study used data from 90 dyads (participants with TBI and their care partner) 1-year post-injury. Participants with TBI completed the Difficulty with Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS; Awareness, Clarity, Goals, Impulse, Nonacceptance, and Strategies subscales); PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version; NIH Toolbox Anger-Affect, Hostility and Aggression Subdomains; PHQ-9; GAD-7; and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (empathic concern and perspective taking subscales). Care partners completed the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI) and provided demographic information. RESULTS: Care partners were predominately female (77%), and most were either a spouse/partner (55.2%) or parent (34.4%). In an unadjusted model that included assessments of emotional awareness, emotional functioning, and empathy of the participant with TBI, the DERS-Awareness and NIH-Hostility subscales accounted for a significant amount of variance associated with care partner burden. These findings persisted after adjusting for care partner age, relationship, education, and the functional status of the participant with TBI (β= 0.493 and β= 0.328, respectively). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that high levels of hostility and low emotional self-awareness can significantly affect the burden felt by TBI care partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Practice guidelines (CPGs) provide informed treatment recommendations from systematic reviews and assessment of the benefits and harms that are intended to optimize patient care. Review of CPGs addressing rehabilitation for people with moderate/severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), has not been fully investigated. OBJECTIVE: Identify published, vetted, clinical practice guidelines that address rehabilitation for people with moderate/severe TBI. METHODS: Six data bases were accessed using key word search terms: "Traumatic Brain Injury" and "Clinical Practice Guidelines" and "Rehabilitation". Further inclusions included "adult" and "moderate or severe". Exclusions included: "mild" and "concussive injury". Three reviewers read abstracts and manuscripts for final inclusion. The AGREE II template was applied for additional appraisal. RESULTS: There were 767 articles retrieved using the search terms, 520 were eliminated because of content irrelevance; and 157 did not specify rehabilitation treatment or did not follow a process for CPGs. A total of 17 CPGs met all criteria and only 4 of these met all AGREE II criteria. CONCLUSION: There are few CPGs addressing rehabilitation for people with moderate/severe TBI. More interventional trials are needed to determine treatment effectiveness. Timely and methodologically sound vetting of studies are needed to ensure CPG reliability and facilitate access to quality, effective treatment for people with moderate/severe TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether a 12-week home-based walking programme can decrease perceived stress and depressive symptoms in persons with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Setting: Community- and home-based. Participants: Sixty-nine participants with a TBI. Design: Comparative effectiveness cross-over design with random assignment to treatment sequence and blinded post-hoc assessment of outcome where participants completed a 12-week walking intervention and a nutrition education module. The walking intervention utilized pedometers to track the amount of steps each participant walked daily. With the assistance of an assigned coach, weekly goals were given with the intent of increasing the amount of walking that the participant was initially completing. The nutrition control group was created to offset the impact of the coaching calls. Main measures: Measurement of perceived stress and depressive symptoms was completed through the use of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D). These measures were collected at three time points: baseline and following each 12-week intervention. Results: Results indicated that both perceived stress and depression symptoms significantly improved following the walking intervention. Conclusions: While limitations existed with the study, it is evident that walking can be used as an efficient and cost-effective tool to manage perceived stress and depressive symptoms in persons who have sustained a TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a potentially disabling neurologic injury that can occur in horseback riding. To date, no published study has examined the epidemiology of SCI from horseback riding in the United States, and few international studies exist on this topic. Several studies have described traumatic brain injuries, spine fractures, and extremity injuries; however, SCI patterns and outcomes in horseback riders are poorly understood.Purpose: This study was undertaken to characterize the demographics, SCI patterns, and neurologic outcomes of persons with SCIs related to horseback riding.Study Design: Descriptive epidemiologic study.Methods: This is a retrospective review of 121 SCI cases from horseback riding in the National SCI Statistical Center database from 1973 to 2008. The treatment setting was 26 U.S. SCI Model Systems of Care. The number of injuries, gender, age, and SCI type for horseback riding were compared with other sports and activities. The level of preserved neurologic function, SCI completeness, American Spinal Injury Association classification, and mechanical ventilation use at discharge were examined in the horseback riding group.Results: The mean age of injury was 37.8 years (standard deviation, 15.2). The majority of patients were white (88%) and female (50.4%). Compared with diving, motorcycle riding, football, and gymnastics, horseback riding involved a significantly higher number of women (P < .005), a higher mean age of injury, and an equal likelihood of resulting in paraplegia and tetraplegia. The most common levels of preserved neurologic function were C4-C6, T12, and L1. Spinal cord injury from horseback riding most commonly resulted in incomplete tetraplegia (41%) followed by complete paraplegia (24%). Only 4 patients required mechanical ventilation on discharge from acute inpatient rehabilitation.Conclusion: Spinal cord injury from horseback riding affects an equal proportion of women and men, has a wide age range, and most commonly results in incomplete tetraplegia followed by complete paraplegia. Study findings improve awareness of the demographics and neurologic outcomes of individuals with SCI from horseback riding and can help guide future studies evaluating SCI mechanisms in horseback riders to improve injury prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Define associations between post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) fatigue and abnormalities in neuroendocrine axes, sleep, mood, cognition and physical functioning. Design: Survey. Setting: Large community hospital-based rehabilitation centre. Participants: Convenience sample of 119 individuals at least 1 year post-TBI. Outcome measures: Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF); Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS); neuroendocrine assessments-growth hormone (GH) reserve, thyroid, cortisol and testosterone levels; visual analogue pain rating; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Beck Depression Inventory-II; Disability Rating Scale; Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique; Neurobehavioural Functioning Inventory. Results: Fifty-three per cent reported fatigue on the MAF and one-third on the FSS; 65% were found to have moderate/severe GH deficiency; 64% had adrenal insufficiency (low fasting cortisol); 12% had central hypothyroidism; and 15% of men had testosterone deficiency. Pituitary dysfunction did not correlate with fatigue or other symptoms. Predictors of MAF total scores were female gender, depression, pain and self-assessed memory deficits. Predictors of FSS scores were depression, self-assessed motor deficits and anti-depressant usage. Conclusions: Robust correlates of fatigue were gender, depression, pain and memory and motor dysfunction. Investigation of post-TBI fatigue should include screening for depression, pain and sleep disturbance. There was no correlation between pituitary dysfunction and fatigue; however, the relatively high prevalence of hypothyroidism and adrenal dysfunction suggests screening for these hormone deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]