Persistent symptoms and activity changes three months after mild traumatic brain injury

• Published in: Australian occupational therapy journal Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 168 - 175
• Main Authors: Cooksley, Rebecca, Maguire, Emma, Lannin, Natasha A., Unsworth, Carolyn A., Farquhar, Michelle, Galea, Claire, Mitra, Biswadev, Schmidt, Julia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-06-2018
• Subjects: Brain injured people; Change agents; Clinical significance; Concussion; Discharge; Emergency services; Fatigue; Medical diagnosis; neurology; Occupations; Physical trauma; Questionnaires; Recovery; rehabilitation services; Return to work; Severity; Traumatic brain injury; Workplaces; traumatic brain injury; rehabilitation services; neurology
• ISSN: 0045-0766; 1440-1630
• DOI: 10.1111/1440-1630.12457

Background/aim
Approximately, 80% of traumatic brain injuries are considered mild in severity. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) may cause temporary or persisting impairments that can adversely affect an individual's ability to participate in daily occupations and life roles. This study aimed to identify symptoms, factors predicting level of symptoms and functional and psycho‐social outcomes for participants with mTBI three months following injury.
Method
Patients discharged from the Emergency Department of a major metropolitan hospital with a diagnosis of mTBI were contacted by telephone three months after injury. An interview with two questionnaires was administered: The Concussion Symptom Inventory (CSI) Scale and the Rivermead Head Injury Follow‐Up Questionnaire (RHIFUQ). Data obtained were used to determine the type and prevalence of post‐concussion symptoms and their impact on activity change.
Results
Sixty‐three people with mTBI participated in the study. The majority of participants (81%) reported that all symptoms had resolved within the three‐month time frame. Of those still experiencing symptoms, workplace fatigue (22%) and an inability to maintain previous workload/standards (17%) were reported.
Conclusion
There is a small, but clinically significant, subgroup of patients who continue to experience symptoms three‐month post‐mTBI. Symptoms experienced beyond the expected three‐month recovery timeframe have the potential to adversely affect an individual's ability to participate in daily occupation and return to work.