Common Misconceptions About Traumatic Brain Injury Among Ethnic Minorities With TBI

Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention on Reducing Misconceptions Among Ethnic Minorities With Complicated Mild to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Background: Stigma toward acquired brain injury (ABI) is often driven by a lack of knowledge and familiarity, which may reduce willingness to interact with survivors, affecting their well-being and recovery. Methods: This study explored the relationship between ABI knowledge, familiarity, and willingness to interact among the general public (n = 308), general practitioners (n = 105), and neurorehabilitation professionals (n = 123). A cross-sectional survey of 536 participants assessed knowledge (Common Misconceptions About Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire), familiarity (Familiarity Scale), and willingness to interact (Social Interaction Scale). Data were analyzed using Rasch modeling, principal component analysis, non-parametric tests, and a multivariate linear model. Results: Knowledge and familiarity explained a small yet significant portion of the variance in willingness to interact. Misconceptions were most common in the general public, yet general practitioners and rehabilitation professionals also showed gaps in understanding invisible impairments, and recovery. Rehabilitation professionals had the highest work-related familiarity, while general practitioners showed the highest willingness to interact. Discussion: Findings highlight the need for psychoeducation and contact-based interventions to reduce misconceptions and improve attitudes toward ABI survivors. Enhancing knowledge and familiarity may help reduce stigma, emphasizing the importance of further research and targeted interventions.

BackgroundDespite the devastating consequences of Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), TBI misconceptions are common among healthcare professionals. As an essential member of multi-professional team providing TBI care, it is important that nurses have correct information and adequate skills to achieve the best possible outcomes for TBI. For example, some common misconceptions about TBIs are that a second blow to the head can improve memory functioning and wearing seatbelts can cause as many brain injuries as it prevents. In India, perhaps such misconceptions towards TBI among nursing professionals were not yet documented. As nursing students form the future health workforce, understanding TBI misconceptions among nursing students in resource-limited settings like India will provide useful information for strengthening the nursing curricula for improved care and rehabilitation of TBIs.MethodsWe used a cross-sectional survey to study the TBI misconceptions among nursing students in India. A Common Misconceptions about Traumatic Brain Injury (CM-TBI) questionnaire was administered to 154 nursing students from a nursing college of a tertiary care neuro-centre in India. The mean percentage of misconceptions were calculated for 7-domains of CM-TBI. T-test for independent samples and ANOVA were used to study the association of misconception with socio-demographic variables using total score for each respondent.ResultsOf the 143 nursing students who completed the survey, majority of them were female (97%) and in the 19-20 year age-group (95.1%). Domain on brain damage (81.1%) had highest rate, while amnesia domain (42.0%) had lowest rate of misconception. The overall mean-score was 22.73 (Standard Deviation: 4.69) which was significantly higher than the median score of 19.5. The study did not show significant differences on overall misconceptions about TBI for any of the socio-demographic characteristics.ConclusionsMisconceptions about TBIs were common among nursing students and it was pervasive irrespective of age, gender, place of residence and year of education. A need to strengthen nursing curriculum in the area of TBIs has been emphasized for improved care and management of TBIs. The study findings also suggest the need for understanding such misconceptions among other healthcare professionals involved in TBI care.

Event Abstract Back to Event Knowledge of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects of age, locality, occupation, media and sports participation Michelle Wilkes1* and James Donnelly1 1 Southern Cross University, Psychology, School of Health and Human Sciences, Australia Aims: Misconceptions about the effects, treatment and diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have been reported as robust. These misconceptions can have detrimental effects on TBI survivors. The aim of this study was to understand Australians’ knowledge in relation to TBI and gather data on which information sources respondents relied. Method: Australian participants (n = 373) were recruited through a university email distribution list and social media. A modified Common Misconceptions about Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire (CM-TBI) (Linden, Braiden & Miller, 2013) was administered online. Additionally, respondents provided demographic information and endorsed possible sources of TBI knowledge. Results: Misconceptions about TBI were reported by participants, irrespective of gender, locality, occupation, or history of sports participation. There were no significant differences in knowledge scores across these demographic groups. In particular, healthcare and education workers did not score any higher than other occupations. At least 40% of respondents answered either incorrectly or “I don’t know” on items related to gender differences, the utility of neuroimaging, and patient insight into their impairments. For those in non-medical, professional occupations, the older they were the less they knew about TBI (r = -.299, p = 0.009). In contrast, a positive correlation (r = 0.268, p = 0.018) was found between age and TBI knowledge for workers in healthcare or education. Conclusions: Misconceptions about TBI are present in Australia and are consistent across genders, localities, occupations and sport participation groups. A concern is that risk for misconceptions is not lower in healthcare or education professions. This suggests that professional development for groups most likely to be the frontline referral resources and supports for head injured children and adults may require further training. Keywords: Traumatic Brain Injury, knowledge, misconceptions, Sports participation Conference: 12th Annual Psychology Research Conference, 2015, Coffs Harbour, Australia, 25 Sep - 26 Sep, 2015. Presentation Type: Research Topic: Psychology Citation: Wilkes M and Donnelly J (2015). Knowledge of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects of age, locality, occupation, media and sports participation. Front. Psychol. Conference Abstract: 12th Annual Psychology Research Conference, 2015. doi: 10.3389/conf.fpsyg.2015.66.00001 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 23 Sep 2015; Published Online: 23 Sep 2015. * Correspondence: Ms. Michelle Wilkes, Southern Cross University, Psychology, School of Health and Human Sciences, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2450, Australia, m.wilkes.10@student.scu.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Michelle Wilkes James Donnelly Google Michelle Wilkes James Donnelly Google Scholar Michelle Wilkes James Donnelly PubMed Michelle Wilkes James Donnelly Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its sequelae may impact the expression and treatment of psychiatric disorders. The prevalence of TBI in psychiatric patients is unknown and investigations in the general population are limited. This study examined the prevalence of TBI with loss of consciousness in mental health setting patients (n = 231), general hospital and university staff and students (n = 534) and non-psychiatric medical clinical patients (n = 59). The Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire was used to assess TBI. A greater percentage of psychiatric patients reported TBI than medical patients or staff and students. Traumatic brain injuries were typically mild-moderate, medical assistance was frequently sought and use of alcohol and drugs was reported in a minority of TBI incidents. Multiple injuries were most common in psychiatric patients. The percentage of medical patients and staff and students reporting TBI was similar to previous research. The greater percentage of psychiatric patients reporting TBI indicates the need to assess TBI in this population. The role of TBI in the emergence, expression and treatment outcome of psychiatric disorders and the risk factors that leave psychiatric patients vulnerable to TBI should be further examined.

Fear avoidance behavior after a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is associated with a number of adverse outcomes, such as higher symptom burden, emotional distress, and disability. The Fear Avoidance Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire (FAB-TBI) is a recently developed and validated self-report measure of fear avoidance after mTBI. The objective of this study was to derive clinical normative data for the FAB-TBI. To determine whether demographic stratification was necessary and to further support clinical interpretation, we also explored associations between fear avoidance behavior and demographic and injury variables. Five concussion clinics in Canada. Adults who sustained an mTBI (N = 563). Cross-sectional. Participants completed the Fear Avoidance Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire (FAB-TBI) and measures of postconcussion symptom burden (Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire, Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-5) at clinic intake. Generalized linear modeling revealed that females reported more fear avoidance than males (95% CI = 0.66 to 2.75), indicating that FAB-TBI normative data should be stratified by sex. Differences between recruitment sites on FAB-TBI scores were reduced but not eliminated by controlling for potential confounds. Loss of consciousness (95% CI =0.61 to 2.76) and higher postconcussion symptom burden (95% CI = 0.79 to 1.03) were also associated with higher FAB-TBI scores, but time since injury was not (95% = CI -0.4 to 0.03). Tables to convert FAB-TBI raw scores to Rasch scores to percentiles are presented. These findings support clinical interpretation of the FAB-TBI and further study of fear avoidance after mTBI.

Common Misconceptions about Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire

Objective: To investigate misconceptions about traumatic brain injury (TIM) held by family members early in the recovery process and to compare family responses to those reported by the general public. Design: Descriptive survey. Setting: Rehabilitation hospital. Participants: 51 family members and close friends (eg, fiances) of patients with acquired brain injury who were admitted for rehabilitation. Convenience sample. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measure: A 40-item questionnaire assessing knowledge about TBI, adapted from previously published interview surveys of the general public. Results: Family members endorsed common misconceptions about TBI, especially in the areas of unconsciousness, amnesia, and recovery. Compared to previous surveys of the general public, they showed: (1) better understanding of the immediate significance of brain injury and its negative impact on cognition and (2) more misconceptions on items assessing beliefs about the patient's potential long-term outcome and future vulnerability. Conclusions: Some misconceptions held by family members may be detrimental to the rehabilitation process and should be addressed through improved family education. Other misconceptions may be related to optimistic appraisal strategies that help families cope. The self-report TBI questionnaire can be used to clarify family educational needs and may also sensitize professionals to family coping issues. More research is needed to determine the impact of family knowledge and beliefs about TBI on the recovery process.

One of the central outcomes to which attention should be paid after sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The present study aims at providing reference values for the Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QoLIBRI) and its overall scale (QoLIBRI-OS) using data from the German general population. A total of 3,502 individuals from the general German population completed an online survey containing adapted versions of both instruments designed for individuals without TBI. Psychometric properties, including reliability and validity analyses, were examined. Comparisons of construct assessment were conducted using 353 sex-, age-, and education-matched dyads from the general population sample and individuals after TBI. Both instruments demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties in the general population sample. The construct assessment between the general population and the TBI samples was considered sufficiently comparable to derive reference values. A patient is considered to have an impaired HRQoL if their QoLIBRI or QoLIBRI-OS score falls below the 16th percentile of their reference group, which is defined by sex, chronic health condition status, age, or education. We provided reference values in form of an open access web-based application. Clinicians can use the provided reference values to directly compare the QoLIBRI and QoLIBRI-OS scores of individuals after TBI with those of the general population. This allows them to identify impaired HRQoL domains and develop personalized treatment plans. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is one of the outcomes requiring attention after sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QoLIBRI) and its short version, the overall scale (QoLIBRI-OS), are reliable patient-reported outcome measures for assessing TBI-specific HRQoL. This study informs clinical decision-making for individuals after TBI in Germany by providing reference values from the general population, which allows for the easy evaluation and interpretation of questionnaire scores and helps identify areas in need of treatment. The reference values are presented as percentiles, stratified by sex, age, and education, and are available in the form of an open-access web application. With this application, clinicians can directly compare the QoLIBRI/QoLIBRI-OS scores of affected individuals with those of the general population.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms During the First Six Months After Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs as a result of an outside force, e.g. a blow to the head in a fall or traffic accident, and is a major cause of death and disability all over the world, especially in children and young adults.Objective: To determine the Assessment of health related quality of life in post traumatic brain injury. Methods:It was the cross-sectional observational study. Data was collected by 40 TBI patients on basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality of life after traumatic brain injury questionnaire was used in this study to see the QoL in post TBI patients.Results: In general males were more affected then females and main reason of TBI was motor bike. The quality of life much affected in feeling, physical work and social relationship. The QoL didn’t depend upon time since injury but depend on severity of injury. Conclusion: Physical work issue was the fundamental predictive factor of hundered personal satisfaction of TBI individuals perhaps, there was no relationship among impairment and QoL. This change of QOL has clinical implications and features the need of more endeavors to improve the rehabilitation interventions.

The ecological validity of the Norwegian version of The Awareness of Social Inference Test (N-TASIT), a test of social cognition, was explored in individuals with (n = 101) and without (n = 50) traumatic brain injury (TBI). Linear regression analyses revealed that for participants with moderate to severe TBI, N-TASIT performance was associated with proxy-reported (R2 = 0.05, F(1, 60) = 4.21, p = 0.045), but not self-reported, social skills assessed with the Social Skills after TBI Questionnaire. Adding demographic and cognitive variables to the regressions did not increase explanatory power. When the TBI and non-TBI sample were collapsed, this result was present in both Virtual reality (VR) and the 2D version. For the VR version, N-TASIT performance was the only significant variable, while for 2D, only processing speed was predictive. There were no differences in experienced presence in the VR version between individuals with TBI and non-injured individuals, but the TBI group had a lower predisposition to engage in media experiences. Finally, adding individual differences in immersive tendency to the regression model increased the explained variance in self-reported social skills, but only in VR. The results indicate modest ecological validity and support the use of the VR version of N-TASIT in assessment of social cognitive impairment after TBI.

Misconceptions about traumatic brain injury among nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Purpose Rehabilitation professionals support people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to return to meaningful participation in life and society – which now includes the use of social media. However, the role of health professionals in supporting the use of social media by adults with TBI is not yet known. This study aimed to investigate the experiences and views of rehabilitation professionals on the use of social media by people with TBI during rehabilitation. Method Two focus groups were conducted and analysed qualitatively for content themes. Results Eleven rehabilitation professionals, including allied health, recreational therapy, and service management, took part in this study. Participants identified potential benefits to people with TBI using social media, including reduced social isolation. However, they expressed concerns about social media risks relating to the vulnerability, exploitation, and reputation management for people with TBI. Rehabilitation professionals viewed their role as being to protect people from these risks of harm, either through imposing restrictions on social media use or responding to problems after these occurred. Conclusion A knowledge translation approach might help guide and support rehabilitation professionals in enabling adults with TBI to safely access and experience the benefits of meaningful engagement in social media during rehabilitation. Implications for rehabilitation Rehabilitation professionals can start addressing social media use during collaborative goal setting, in order to support people with traumatic brain injury to use social media successfully during rehabilitation and beyond. To do this, professionals can inquire as to the person’s previous social media use and identify priority areas for the person for short- and long-term goals. Rehabilitation targeting social media use should include instruction for participation in social media platforms, providing education and feedback that is positive and constructive, as well as risk management education. Policy and guidance is needed for rehabilitation professionals to more actively support people with traumatic brain injury to access social media for improved participation and inclusion in online communities. Addressing social media goals in rehabilitation should be informed by existing successful traumatic brain injury rehabilitation approaches (e.g., functional rehabilitation) and adopting strategies used in rehabilitation supporting other higher risk goals (e.g., return to driving).

Fear avoidance behavior is related to symptom persistence and disability in various health conditions, such as chronic pain. Fear avoidance behavior also may impact recovery from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but no measure of this construct has been psychometrically validated for the mTBI population. Adults who sustained an mTBI (n = 159) were recruited from three outpatient mTBI clinics. Participants completed the new Fear Avoidance Behavior after Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire (FAB-TBI). The FAB-TBI includes 16 items drawn from well-established fear avoidance scales, primarily in the chronic pain literature. An exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis were conducted to evaluate the factor structure, dimensionality, and differential item functioning of the FAB-TBI. The FAB-TBI scale was found to have strong internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.9). Exploratory factor analysis suggested at least two distinct factors (activity avoidance and cogniphobia). Initial fit to the Rasch model was adequate, with one misfitting item. The model was not improved after removing the misfitting item. Best fit to the unidimensional Rasch model was achieved after items were combined into three super items based on exploratory factor analysis and retaining the misfitting item χ2(6, n = 159) = 2.1, p = 0.06). The FAB-TBI appears to be a psychometrically sound measure of fear avoidance behavior after mTBI. Conversion tables are made available to convert scores into interval-level data for future research.