Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Adults with Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms

To assess demographic, clinical, and injury characteristics associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adults with persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS).

Adults with PPCS presenting to a specialized brain injury clinic completed demographic, injury, and clinical outcome questionnaires at the initial clinic assessment. Clinical outcome measures were collected including the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). HRQOL was measured using the Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI) questionnaire. Stepwise hierarchical multiple regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, and months since injury was used to determine associations between quality of life and clinical outcome measures.

Overall, 125 participants were included. The PHQ-9, FSS, and GAD-7 were significant predictors of QOLIBRI scores (R2 = 0.481, p < .001), indicating that participants with higher levels of depressive symptoms, fatigue, and anxiety reported poorer HRQOL. The PHQ-9 score was the strongest predictor, accounting for 42.0% of the variance in QOLIBRI scores. No demographic or injury characteristics significantly predicted QOLIBRI scores. There was a high prevalence of depressive symptoms with 72.8% of participants having PHQ-9 scores ≥ 10.

Among patients with PPCS, mental health and fatigue are important contributors to HRQOL. As there is a high burden of mood disorders and fatigue in this population, targeted treatments for these concerns may impact the quality of life.