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Stability of employment after traumatic brain injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2005

JOAN MACHAMER ,
NANCY TEMKIN ,
ROBERT FRASER ,
JASON N. DOCTOR  and
SUREYYA DIKMEN
JOAN MACHAMER
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
NANCY TEMKIN
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
ROBERT FRASER
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
JASON N. DOCTOR
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Medical Education & Biomedical Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
SUREYYA DIKMEN
Affiliation:
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Abstract

Although substantial information exists about factors related to who returns to work and time taken to return to work after traumatic brain injury (TBI), less is known about the stability of the work experience after the injury. One hundred sixty-five workers with complicated mild to severe traumatic brain injury were followed for 3 to 5 years postinjury. Work stability definitions included amount of time worked (amount of time worked divided by time observed postinjury) and maintenance of uninterrupted employment once a person returned to work. Amount of time worked was significantly and systematically related to brain injury severity, neuropsychological functioning at 1-month postinjury, and preinjury characteristics such as prior work stability and earnings. However, once persons returned to work, the ability to maintain uninterrupted employment was largely related to premorbid characteristics such as being older, higher income before the injury, or a preinjury job with benefits. It was also related to higher neuropsychological functioning at 1-month postinjury (reflecting the combined effects of premorbid functioning and traumatic brain injury severity), but not related to neurologic indices of severity. (JINS, 2005, 11, 807–816.)

Keywords

Head injuriesWorkNeuropsychologyRisk factorsPrognosisOutcome assessment (health care)
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 11 , Issue 7 , November 2005 , pp. 807 - 816
Copyright
© 2005 The International Neuropsychological Society

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