Early post-hospital trajectories of health-related quality of life for younger adult patients with traumatic brain injury.
prospective_cohort · Level II
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42323042.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.apmr.2026.05.026.
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Abstract
Limited research has been conducted measuring early post-acute health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for younger adult patients with TBI during the transition from acute hospital care to home and community-based living. We characterized trajectories of HRQOL in the first 8 weeks after discharge from acute hospital care. Prospective cohort. Level I trauma center. Younger adult patients with TBI, age 18-64 years, discharged from the participating acute hospital. None. HRQOL (SF-12) outcome data were collected longitudinally prior to hospital discharge and at 4- and 8-weeks post-hospital discharge. Patients (N=51) were mostly male (66.6%), mean age 35.7 years, 52.9% white, 41.2% Black, with mild (35.3%), moderate (23.5%), or severe (41.2%) TBI. Patients discharged from acute hospital care to home (58.8%), inpatient rehabilitation (33.3%), or skilled nursing facilities (7.8%). Physical component scores (PCS) significantly improved over 8-weeks (time 1: 30.5 [95% CI: 27.7, 33.3]; time 2: 32.7 [95% CI: 29.9, 35.6]; time 3: 34.8 [95% CI: 32.3, 38.1]; p = .018), associated with sex [male vs. female, OR = 4.7 (0.4, 9.1), p <.05] and injury severity (higher vs. lower GCS score, OR = 1.26 (1.03, 1.53), p = .023]). MCS did not improve significantly over time (p = .619). However, higher income (composite score: middle/upper vs. working class, [OR=4.5 (0.3, 8.7), p=.034] was associated with higher MCS over time. Changes in individual HRQOL trajectories over time were split (increase vs. decrease). Findings illustrate that the period immediately after the hospitalization is an important intervention time for younger adult patients with TBI. There is a critical need for establishing a standard, feasible and acceptable process for measuring recovery and care for patients discharged from acute hospital care to allow for further understanding and comparison of patient-reported outcomes in the early post-acute period.