Citation

Venturini S, Still MEH, Hutchinson PJ, Gwinnutt JM. J. Neurotrauma 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2022.0341

PMID

38251663

Abstract

Whilst socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with a variety of health outcomes, the literature on the association between SES and traumatic brain injury (TBI) outcomes has not been formally summarised. This study aims to review existing literature to ascertain whether patients with low SES pre-injury have worse clinical outcomes following TBI compared with those with high SES, in high-income countries. A systematic search was conducted using the MEDLINE, Embase, and PsychINFO databases. Observational studies addressing the association between SES and TBI outcomes (mortality, functional, cognitive, and vocational outcomes) were included (published from 2000, written in English). Both paediatric and adult TBI groups were included. Thirty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Measures of SES varied across studies. Mortality was assessed in seven studies; five reported an association between low SES and higher mortality. Five out of eight studies showed an association between low SES and worse functional outcomes; results for cognitive (n=13) and vocational outcomes (n=10) were mixed. The results of this review suggest that SES is a variable of interest in the context of TBI outcomes and should be assessed at time of admission to assist in social work discharge planning and early mobilisation of available community resources. Further work is required to better understand the impact of SES on TBI outcomes.

Language: en

Keywords

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY; ADULT BRAIN INJURY; OUTCOME MEASURES