Citation

Verdugo MA, Aza A, Orgaz MB, Fernández M, Amor AM. Int. J. Clin. Health Psychol. 2021; 21(2): e100219.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Granada, Publisher Asociacion Espanola de Psicologia Conductual)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijchp.2020.100219

PMID

33552163

Abstract

After an acquired brain injury (ABI), the person remains with several impairments and disabilities that cause a decrease in his/her quality of life (QoL), which could change over time. The objective of the study was to analyse the evolution patterns of QoL in a sample of persons with ABI for one-year as well as the differences in proxy- and self-report versions of a QoL instrument.

METHOD: The sample comprised 402 persons with ABI with ages ranging between 18 and 91 years, whom 36.20% had had the accident recently (i.e., three years or less). Patients, professionals and relatives responded at three evaluation points to the CAVIDACE scale, an ABI-specific QoL tool.

RESULTS: ANOVAs showed an improvement in QoL in the two follow-ups; the improvement was especially significant in the period between baseline and six months. The respondent factor did not interact with the evaluation time, but significant differences were found between respondents, with scores of patients higher than that for proxies. Finally, the QoL's evolution interacts with the time elapsed since injury, showing significant improvements in the most recent group (i.e., three years or less).

CONCLUSIONS: QoL must be considered from the earliest moments after ABI to obtain more significant improvements.

Language: en

Keywords

Longitudinal study; Quality of life; Acquired brain injury; CAVIDACE Scale; Self-report