Multidisciplinary rehabilitation in persons with multiple trauma: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Trauma Care
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Multiple trauma presents significant challenges to functional and psychological recovery.
• Multidisciplinary rehabilitation is a proposed approach to address complex patient needs post-trauma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of multidisciplinary rehabilitation for individuals with multiple trauma.
• To synthesize current evidence on functional and psychological outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review was performed, including studies up to February 2019.
• Two independent reviewers assessed study quality using CASP and GRADE methodologies.
• Qualitative analysis was employed due to study heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• Six studies (1 RCT, 1 CCT, 4 observational) were included, with most rated as low quality.
• Evidence suggests very low to moderate effectiveness of multidisciplinary rehabilitation for functional ability and participation.
• Most studies reported short-term functional improvements.

Conclusions:

• A significant lack of high-quality evidence exists for multidisciplinary rehabilitation in trauma recovery.
• Further robust research is essential to establish definitive efficacy and guide clinical practice.