Cognitive-Communication Predictors of Employment Outcomes 1 and 5 Years Posttraumatic Brain Injury
Model System:
TBIReference Type:
Accession No.:
Journal:
Journal of Head Trauma RehabilitationYear, Volume, Issue, Page(s):
, 36, 3, 196-204Publication Website:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33528176/Abstract:
Objective: To examine changes in functional memory, problem solving, comprehension, expression, and social communication over the first 2 years posttraumatic brain injury (TBI) and the ability of each to predict return to work (RTW) outcomes at 1 year and 5 years postinjury.
Design: Secondary analysis of data from a multicenter longitudinal cohort study.
Setting: Acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities and community follow-up.
Participants: A total of 3543 individuals between 16 and 60 years of age who were competitively employed at the time of TBI and had completed year 1, year 2, and year 5 postinjury follow-ups.
Main outcome measures: Year 1 and year 5 RTW status (± competitively employed) at the time of study completion.
Results: Greater function across each of the 5 cognitive-communication abilities was associated with RTW success at 1 year and 5 years post-TBI. At discharge, these 5 abilities showed comparable odds of predicting later employment. At year 1 and year 2 follow-ups, independence with problem solving was the most predictive of employment 5 years post-TBI, followed by social interaction, memory, expression, and comprehension.
Conclusions: An increased rehabilitation focus on functional memory, problem solving, comprehension, expression, and social interaction post-TBI has the potential to improve RTW outcomes.