The Los Angeles Head Injury Survey: procedures and initial findings

The project was designed to identify the long-term needs of persons with severe, traumatic head injuries by assessing discrete functional skills one to six years posttrauma. Approximately 1,700 families of persons with traumatic head injury were contacted in the metropolitan Los Angeles area. Of these, 310 families volunteered for the project, and 142 were randomly selected to participate in in-depth interviews. An instrument containing over 700 questions relating to the patient's ability to engage in productive and self-sufficient living skills was developed after consultation with numerous programs, professionals, families, and patients. Results indicated a broad spectrum of deficits and needs in survivors. No one course of recovery was noted for individual survivors, and residual deficits were noted for at least some portion of the surveyed population across every topic that was covered. Most survivors lived with their families, did not work or attend school, and were dependent upon others for skills, finances, and services outside the home. Due to a lack of available programs, families most frequently assumed the major responsibility for the survivor's long-term care despite no training in this area. Most families reported that the traumatic episode continued to have a variety of adverse effects on the family years after the injury.