Depression as a predictor of long-term employment outcomes among individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury

Model System:

TBI

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J82334

Journal:

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2019 , 100, 10, 1837-1843

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study examined the predictive ability of depression when considering long-term employment outcomes for individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) after controlling for key preinjury and injury-related variables. Data were obtained from individuals between 18 and 60 years old with moderate-to-severe TBI enrolled in the TBI Model Systems database. The primary outcome of interest was competitive employment at 2 or 5 years after injury. The prevalence of employment at 2 and 5 years post injury was 40.3 percent and 44.5 percent, respectively. Individuals identified as depressed at 1 year were more likely to be unemployed at 2 years post injury (odds ratio [OR] = 1.77). Similar relationships between current depression and future employment were observed from 1- and 2-year depression status predicting 5-year employment (1-year OR = 1.88, 2-year OR = 1.72). After controlling for baseline predictors variables, results indicate the experience of postinjury depression (a modifiable condition) contributes predictive ability to future employment outcomes. Findings suggest that incorporating assessments and/or interventions for depression into postacute rehabilitation programs could promote favorable employment outcomes after TBI.

Author(s):