Rehabilitation Outcomes of Service Members and Veterans With Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Military Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent among service members and veterans (SM/Vs).
• Common TBI-related symptoms include neurobehavioral deficits, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and pain interference.
• Effective rehabilitation strategies are crucial for improving outcomes in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an inpatient rehabilitation program for SM/Vs with mild-to-moderate TBI.
• To assess changes in TBI-related symptoms from baseline to discharge and at 6-month follow-up.

Main Methods:

• A 5-site inpatient rehabilitation program was implemented for SM/Vs with mild-to-moderate TBI.
• Neurobehavioral outcomes, PTSD symptoms, pain interference, and lifestyle behaviors were assessed at baseline, discharge, and 6-month follow-up.
• Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to analyze changes in TBI-related outcomes.

Main Results:

• Participants (n=127) had a mean age of 41.64 years, with an average of 7.45 deployments and 16.32 concussive events.
• Significant reductions in neurobehavioral symptoms, pain interference, and PTSD symptoms were observed from baseline to discharge (Cohen's d effect sizes ranging from 0.69 to 1.14).
• These improvements were largely sustained at the 6-month follow-up, remaining statistically and practically below baseline levels.

Conclusions:

• An interdisciplinary, inpatient rehabilitation program effectively improves TBI-related symptoms in SM/Vs.
• The observed symptom improvements are sustained at 6 months postdischarge.
• This program offers a viable approach for managing common TBI-related issues in military populations.