Treatment-seeking and perceived helpfulness among individuals with persistent post-concussion symptoms

To characterize treatment utilization and perceived helpfulness among individuals with persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) during the first year post-injury and explore whether treatment engagement was associated with symptom change over time.

We enrolled 40 individuals (62.5% female; mean age = 43.0 ± 11.5 years) in our prospective observational study. Participants completed an initial visit and 3-month follow-up. At each visit, participants reported symptoms via the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) and the number and type of treatments they received, and rated the helpfulness of each treatment. One participant was lost to follow-up.

Most (83%) participants received one or more treatments, most commonly medication and psychotherapy. Across all treatments reported, many participants endorsed them as helpful (range: 71.4%-100%). Participants reported high initial visit symptom burden, regardless of treatment involvement (M = 57.4 ± 23.7), with a significant mean improvement of 13.8 points at follow-up (t(38) = 4.53, p < 0.001). Symptom change over time (i.e., from the initial visit to follow-up) was not significantly associated with whether participants were involved in treatment (β = 4.23, t(41.42) = 0.53, p = 0.598) or with the number of treatments participants received (β = 0.71, t(39.82) = 0.43, p = 0.671).

Individuals with PPCS pursue diverse, often multimodal treatments and perceive them as helpful, yet many continue to experience substantial symptoms. Findings underscore the need for coordinated, evidence-informed care and greater precision in specifying active treatment components in PPCS rehabilitation.