Currently, there are outcome measures for some but not all of the issues identified in qualitative research on surviving TBI. In particular, new outcome measures may be required to evaluate experiences of loss of personal identity, satisfaction with reconstructed identity and sense of connection with one's body and one's life following TBI.

Findings illustrate the complexity of decisions about working after SCI, and provide a framework that health and vocational professionals may find useful to inform discussions with their clients. Findings also provide a basis for further research into interventions to support people to make informed decisions about employment after SCI.

There is little clear evidence to suggest what should be considered the "best practice" approach to vocational rehabilitation.

Components contributing to work-ability go beyond the ability to perform particular work tasks. Measures intended to be used to inform vocational rehabilitation arguably need to consider all these factors to maximise likelihood of a sustainable return to work.

While in general little is known about how much expectations and injury perceptions influence return to work outcome, it is clear that the issue requires further investigation. Key limits to current knowledge result from inadequate methods of measuring expectation/s, lack of clear definitions of 'return to work outcome' and differences in timeframes and populations. Never-the-less, there is promising evidence to suggest that, in particular, pain catastrophizing research is warranted due to its correlation with outcome and amenability to change.