An evaluation of the Veterans Affairs traumatic brain injury screening process among Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans Journal Article

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Authors: Evans, C. T.; St Andre, J. R.; Pape, T. L.; Steiner, M. L.; Stroupe, K. T.; Hogan, T. P.; Weaver, F M; Smith, B. M.
Article Title: An evaluation of the Veterans Affairs traumatic brain injury screening process among Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To describe the early results of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) screening program for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to identify patient and facility characteristics associated with receiving a TBI screen and results of the screening. DESIGN: National retrospective cohort study. SETTING: VA Medical facilities. PATIENTS: A total of 170,681 Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans who sought care at VA medical facilities from April 2007 to September 30, 2008. METHODS: Data were abstracted from VA administrative and operational databases, including patient demographics, facility characteristics, and outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The main outcomes were receipt of and results of the TBI screen. RESULTS: The majority of veterans eligible received the TBI screen (91.6%). Screening rates varied by patient and facility characteristics. In all, 25% of screened veterans had probable TBI exposure, in which the majority of the exposures were blasts (85.0%). The rate of a positive TBI screen was 20.5% for the screened cohort. Male gender, service in the army, multiple deployments, and mental health diagnoses in the previous year were associated with a positive screen. CONCLUSIONS: TBI screening rates are high in VA; concomitant mental health diagnoses were highly prevalent in individuals with positive TBI screens. These data indicate that there will be a significant need for long-term health care services for veterans with TBI symptomatology.
Journal Title: PM R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation
Volume: 5
Issue: 3
ISSN: 1934-1563; 1934-1482
Publisher: Elsevier Inc  
Journal Place: United States
Date Published: 2013
Start Page: 210
End Page: 20; quiz 220
Language: eng
DOI/URL:

10.1016/j.pmrj.2012.12.004

10.1016/j.pmrj.2012.12.004
Notes: ID: 13045; CI: Copyright (c) 2013; JID: 101491319; 2012/04/17 [received]; 2012/11/26 [revised]; 2012/12/13 [accepted]; 2013/01/29 [aheadofprint]; ppublish