Descriptive Findings of the VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers TBI Model Systems National Database

Objectives: To present initial descriptive findings from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRC) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model Systems (MS) National Database.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: VA PRC TBIMS National Database.

Participants: 712 service members and veterans with TBI who consented to participate between January 2010 and June 2015.

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome measures: Demographics, preinjury characteristics, injury characteristics, rehabilitation course, functional outcomes, and discharge disposition by TBI severity level.

Results: The study cohort was predominantly male with moderate to severe TBI secondary to vehicular accident or blast injury. Sixty-five percent were active duty service members; one-third had been injured during deployment. One-third reported mental health treatment and/or alcohol use problems in the year predating the index TBI. The median number of days between injury and PRC admission was 42.5. Nearly 25% reported clinical levels of posttraumatic stress disorder; 75% reported mild to moderate neurobehavioral symptomatology. The median length of stay in the PRC was 36 days; those with severe TBI had the longest lengths of stay. Functional independence ratings improved from admission to discharge across all TBI severity levels. A majority were discharged to urban areas to reside with spouses or other residents in private residences or adult homes, with some variability by injury severity.

Conclusions: The VA PRC TBIMS national database is a rich source of information on a unique group of individuals with TBI and promises to complement existing knowledge on TBI in the civilian population.