Relationship of medical comorbidities to psychological health at 2 and 5 years following traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Model System:

TBI

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J87450

Journal:

Rehabilitation Psychology

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2021 , 66, 2, 107-117

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study examined the relationship between medical comorbidities and psychological health outcomes in military veterans and service members at 2 and 5 years following traumatic brain injury (TBI). A total of 225 Veterans Affairs TBI Model System participants who completed a 2-year and 283 who completed a 5-year follow-up with a comorbidities interview were included in the study. Psychological health outcomes were assessed using the Patient Global Impression of Change, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. While controlling for known predictors of outcome, the relationship of overall comorbidity burden to psychological outcomes was examined using generalized linear regression at 2 and 5 years after TBI. Lasso regularization was used to examine relationships of specific comorbid conditions to outcome. The results showed that greater comorbidity burden was significantly associated with lower satisfaction with life at 2 and 5 years post-TBI and was associated with greater depressive symptomatology at 5 years postinjury. Chronic pain was associated with lower satisfaction with life and greater depressive symptoms at both 2- and 5-year follow-up. Sleep apnea was associated with lower satisfaction with life and greater depressive symptoms at 5-year follow-up. Rheumatoid arthritis was associated with lower satisfaction with life and lower levels of perceived improvement in health and well-being at the 5-year follow-up. These results suggest that medical comorbidities may have a cumulative impact on adverse psychological health outcomes in chronic stages of TBI.

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