Citation

Harfmann E, Deroon-Cassini T, McCrea M, Nader AM, Nelson LD. J. Neurotrauma 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Medical College of Wisconsin, Neurosurgery, 8701 West Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, 53226; linelson@mcw.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2019.6746

PMID

32000584

Abstract

The value of assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in TBI patients has been increasingly recognized in recent years. Yet, research examining generic and TBI-specific quality of life (QOL) methodologies within this population has been limited, rendering decisions to use one alternative over another difficult and based largely on conceptual grounds. The current study compared widely used generic QoL/HRQOL measures (SWLS, SF-36) and newer population-specific HRQoL measures (QOLIBRI, TQoL) among 77 TBI and 23 orthopedically-injured trauma control (TC) patients. The QOLIBRI Cognition and Physical Problems subscales were the only HRQoL scores across the four instruments administered that differentiated between patient groups; participants with TBI reported being significantly less satisfied with their cognitive abilities and more bothered by physical problems. Analyses of the unique population-specific QOLIBRI content revealed that 12.2-31.5% of TBI patients endorsed dissatisfaction and 28.8-51.4% endorsed being bothered by items unique to the QOLIBRI. Endorsement rates for unique TQoL items ranged from 1.4-75.7%. Overall, the QOLIBRI and TQoL appear to capture important information pertinent to patients with TBI and trauma. Inclusion of these disease-specific HRQoL measures is recommended over the use of only generic measures among TBI populations.

Language: en

Keywords

ADULT BRAIN INJURY; HUMAN STUDIES; OUTCOME MEASURES; TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY