From Injury to Recovery: A Six-Month Longitudinal Analysis of Quality of Life After Adult Trauma

Traumatic injuries are a major cause of disability in adults, with long-term consequences that extend beyond acute survival. Understanding the longitudinal trajectory of quality of life (QoL) following trauma is essential for optimising recovery pathways. This study aimed to evaluate changes in QoL over a six-month period after injury and to characterise the most affected health domains. Methods: A longitudinal observational study was conducted including 136 adult trauma patients. QoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L at three time points: retrospectively for the pre-trauma state, and prospectively at one and six months post-injury. Statistical analysis included Paired T-Tests and Cohen's d to evaluate the significance and magnitude of changes across five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Results: The sample was predominantly male (57.4%), and falls were the most common mechanism of injury (57.4%). One month after trauma, a significant decline was observed across all EQ-5D dimensions (p < 0.001), with large effect sizes particularly in usual activities (d = 0.89) and self-care (d = 0.86). At six months, significant improvement was noted in all domains compared to the one-month assessment (p < 0.001). However, only mobility returned to pre-trauma levels (p = 0.137), while persistent impairments remained in pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. The EQ-VAS score declined from a pre-trauma mean of 82.74 to 69.00 at one month and partially recovered to 77.29 at six months. Notably, only 15.4% of patients received specialized rehabilitation services. Conclusions: Trauma results in a profound immediate reduction in QoL. Although physical mobility tends to recover by six months, functional autonomy and psychological well-being remain compromised. The findings highlight the need for multidisciplinary post-discharge interventions, focusing on pain management and psychological support to bridge the gap in long-term recovery.