Unmet health care needs over the first 2 years after pediatric traumatic brain injury

Hilde Margrete Dahl; Ingvil Laberg Holthe; Nada Andelic; Marianne Løvstad; Mia C Myhre

doi:10.1016/j.ejpn.2024.01.002

Unmet health care needs over the first 2 years after pediatric traumatic brain injury

Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2024 Feb 7:49:73-81. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2024.01.002. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hilde Margrete Dahl¹, Ingvil Laberg Holthe², Nada Andelic³, Marianne Løvstad², Mia C Myhre⁴

Affiliations

¹ Dept. of Clinical Neurosciences for Children, Section for Child Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: uxhiah@ous-hf.no.
² Dept. of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital Trust, Nesoddtangen, Norway.
³ Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Research Centre for Habilitation and Rehabilitation Models and Services (CHARM), Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
⁴ Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Nydalen, Oslo, Norway; Dept. of Neonatal Intensive Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.

PMID: 38430714
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2024.01.002

Abstract

Aim: Few studies have addressed how children and adolescents with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) access health care and educational services. This study aimed to investigate the course of symptoms during the first two years after TBI, whether symptoms implied a need for health care and/or educational services, and the extent of unmet needs. The association between unmet needs and health-related quality of life was also explored.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at Oslo University Hospital, Norway, from 2015 to 2018. Forty-nine patients aged 1-15 years hospitalized due to TBI were included and followed for 24 months. Registration of symptoms and identification of unmet needs was based on clinical assessment, self-reports and interviews with patients and parents during the acute phase and at 6 and 24 months postinjury.

Results: Twenty-five percent of the sample presented with unmet needs at 24 months. Compared to the group with no needs and met needs, these patients reported lasting cognitive and emotional symptoms affecting school and social interaction and scored lower on health-related quality of life.

Conclusion: Pediatric patients with TBI may have long-term symptom burden affecting school and social functioning, leading to unmet needs if targeted services are not provided.

Keywords: Health care utilization; Pediatric head injury; Quality of life; Recovery; Traumatic brain injury; Unmet needs.