Factors influencing social and health outcomes after motor vehicle crash injury: an inception cohort study protocol

Sarah Derrett,Robert Day,Ian D Cameron,Soufiane Boufous,Michael Nicholas,Mark Gillett,Tony Joseph,Fiona Blyth,Michael Dinh,Justin Kenardy,Alex Collie,Rebecca Ivers,Chris G Maher,Gregory Button,Jagnoor Jagnoor,Simon Willcock,Belinda Gabbe

doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-199

Abstract

BackgroundThere is growing evidence that health and social outcomes following motor vehicle crash injury are related to cognitive and emotional responses of the injured individual, as well as relationships between the injured individual and the compensation systems with which they interact. As most of this evidence comes from other states in Australia or overseas, investigation is therefore warranted to identify the key determinants of health and social outcomes following injury in the context of the New South Wales motor accident insurance scheme.Methods/DesignIn this inception cohort study, 2400 participants, aged 17 years or more, injured in a motor vehicle crash in New South Wales will be identified though hospital emergency departments, general and physiotherapy practitioners, police records and a government insurance regulator database. Participants will be initially contacted through mail. Baseline interviews will be conducted by telephone within 28 days of the injury and participants will be followed up with interviews at 6, 12 and 24 months post-injury. Health insurance and pharmaceutical prescription data will also be collected.DiscussionThe study results will report short and long term health and social outcomes in the study sample. Identification of factors associated with health and social outcomes following injury, including related compensation factors will provide evidence for improved service delivery, post-injury management, and inform policy development and reforms.Trial registrationAustralia New Zealand Clinical trial registry identification number - ACTRN12613000889752. Available at: ANZCTR Registered FISH Study.

Highlights

There is growing evidence that health and social outcomes following motor vehicle crash injury are related to cognitive and emotional responses of the injured individual, as well as relationships between the injured individual and the compensation systems with which they interact
Identification of factors associated with health and social outcomes following injury, including related compensation factors will provide evidence for improved service delivery, post-injury management, and inform policy development and reforms
The primary focus of this study is to examine associations and predictors for a range of outcomes, requiring recruitment of a study population that exhibits heterogeneity in the exposures of interest at baseline

Summary

Introduction

There is growing evidence that health and social outcomes following motor vehicle crash injury are related to cognitive and emotional responses of the injured individual, as well as relationships between the injured individual and the compensation systems with which they interact. As most of this evidence comes from other states in Australia or overseas, investigation is warranted to identify the key determinants of health and social outcomes following injury in the context of the New South Wales motor accident insurance scheme. Understanding factors associated with the human costs are a priority for reducing the socio-economic burden of injury arising from road traffic injuries [4]

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