@article{ref1,
title="Comorbidity and insurance as predictors of disability following traumatic brain injury",
journal="Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation",
year="2014",
author="Gardizi, Elmar and Hanks, Robin A. and Millis, Scott R. and Figueroa, Maritza J.",
volume="95",
number="12",
pages="2396-2401",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To examine the unique contribution of self-reported medical comorbidity and insurance type on disability following traumatic brain injury (TBI). <br><br>DESIGN: Inception cohort design at one-year follow up. Setting: The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM). Participants: Seventy-adults with mild-complicated to severe TBI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported medical comorbidities were measured using the Modified Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (MCIRS) while insurance type was classified as commercial or government-funded; disability was measured using the Disability Rating Scale (DRS). <br><br>RESULTS: Two models were run using multiple linear regression and the best fitting model was selected based on the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). The full model which included self-reported medical comorbidity and insurance type was significantly better fitting than the reduced model. Participants with longer duration of posttraumatic amnesia, more self-reported medical comorbidities, and government insurance were more likely to have higher levels of disability. Meanwhile, individual organ systems were not predictive of disability. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative impact of self-reported medical comorbidities and type of insurance coverage predict disability above and beyond well-known prognostic variables. Early assessment of medical complications and improving services provided by government-funded insurance may enhance quality of life and reduce long-term health care costs.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0003-9993",
doi="10.1016/j.apmr.2014.06.004",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2014.06.004"
}