High rates of psychosocial complications after road traffic injuries

Perceived mental health and needs for mental health services following trauma with and without brain injury

“…Our results concur with those of previous studies indicating that women report more psychological distress than men after road traffic accidents and injuries (8,9,34), and that younger age is associated with worse psychological functioning following TBI (11) or orthopedic trauma (4,35). The impact of trauma may be more psychologically challenging for younger individuals trying to establish their professional and personal lives.…”

“…Health professionals working with non-TBI trauma patients, however, need perhaps be sensitized to the presence and potential impacts of mental health issues in their patients. Indeed, there is now a growing literature indicating that problems with depression and anxiety (including symptoms of post-traumatic stress), for example, are very frequent up to 6 weeks post-trauma (5-7), resorb in part by 6 months (3, 6-8) but then persist in proportions varying from 6% to 30% up to 5 years post-trauma, according to different studies (3,(8)(9)(10). Screening for psychological problems is perhaps not yet systematically part of routine care protocols for trauma patients without TBI.…”

“…Reports of anxiety and depression symptoms in the few weeks following trauma have varied as widely as 8-78% (5-7). Anxiety and depression affect proportions of individuals varying from 7% to 17% at 3-6 months post-injury (3,(6)(7)(8) 6-19% at 1-year (3,8), and from 11% to 30% beyond 2 years (9,10). Thus, needs in the mental health domain seem significant following trauma, yet it remains unclear if traumatic injury survivors have access to appropriate services relating to mental health.…”

Recovered? Association between self-perceived recovery and the SF-36 after minor musculoskeletal injuries

“…The recovery is often puzzlingly protracted [3,4]. Previous research has highlighted an obvious discrepancy between objective healing and the self-perceived recovery, demonstrating that socio-economic, psychosomatic and collision related factors may be important predictors of recovery [5,6].…”

Increased bicycle helmet use in Sweden: needs and possibilities

“…The degree of unconsciousness and amnesia at the time of an accident are also indicators of the seriousness of the injury and are often correlated to the risk for long-term sequels (33,36,37). Many cases of trauma to the head in bicyclists can, however, be classified as minor brain injuries (22,33), but even such injuries are important to prevent, since they can lead to prolonged negative consequences for the individuals who are hurt (33,38). Furthermore, it is often difficult to predict what type of long-term problems will occur, because different parts of the brain can be affected.…”