Psychosocial outcome for the survivors of severe blunt head injury: the results from a consecutive series of 100 patients.

Abstract

A consecutive series of 100 severely blunt head injured subjects was followed up six years after trauma and the level of psychosocial reintegration was determined for 87 subjects. Three-quarters of the series were classified as demonstrating major disability, having either a Poor Reintegration (33%) or a Substantially Limited Reintegration (43%); the remaining one-quarter of the series attained a Good Reintegration. The level of reintegration was related to the Glasgow Outcome Scale classification, although a one-to-one correspondence between the Glasgow Outcome Scale and the Psychosocial Disability Scale was not found: each of the Moderate Disability and Good Recovery groups was fairly evenly divided between a better and worse level of reintegration. Specific aspects of the subjects' psychosocial reintegration in employment, interpersonal relationships, functional independence, social contacts and leisure interests are described and the implications of the findings for the provision of extended care services to meet the long term needs are discussed.