Dr Nadine AbelsonMitchell, Mrs A Waring, Professor M Watkins

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User Perception of Level of Independence
Post Traumatic Brain Injury

Dr Nadine Abelson-Mitchell, Mrs A Waring,
Professor M Watkins
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Introduction

• Partnership project
• Based in Faculty of Health Social Work,
  University of Plymouth
• Funded by ESF (Objective 3)
• Commencement date July 2002
• Completion date July 2003
• Part of a larger Project Education After Brain
  injury

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Project objectives

• The following objectives were to be achieved
• To develop and test a valid, reliable and
  acceptable assessment tool to identify needs post
  TBI
• To identify the level of function and needs for a
  sample, and so estimate level of function and
  needs for all brain-injured people in Devon,
  Dorset and Somerset

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Methods

• Based on a descriptive, non-experimental design
  using a quantitative approach
• Convenience sampling
• Research tools
• A questionnaire
• Self Assessment tool in the form of a
  checklist
• Mailed questionnaires and interviews

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Fig 1 Client needs
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Fig 2 Example of self assessment tool
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Ethical considerations

• Confidentiality of information was guaranteed
• MREC/LREC
• Written consent
• Vulnerable subjects

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Table 2 Person completing assessment
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Demographic data

• 33 participants
• Sex of clients 19 male 14 female
• Age range 19-65 years
• Mechanism of injury 61 RTA
• 16 Falls

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Table 3 Results of personal care
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Table 4 Social life / skills
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Fig Summary of Overall Scores for all Needs
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Score for Self Assessment 2
Score for Self Assessment 1
Figure 3 Correlation between Scores for Self
Assessment 1 and 2
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Table 6 Differences in SA1 and SA2 scores
Table 6 Differences in SA1 and SA2
scores
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Conclusion

• Items relevant, objective and structured,
  comprehensive and appropriate to their needs
• Able to be used by clients/carers
• All clients perceive their level of independence
  to be
• limited
• Physical functioning gt psycho-social/ cognitive/
  emotional independence
• Identified gaps
• Findings not generalisable

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Recommendations

• Recognise rights of clients
• Provision of comprehensive community based
  resources, rehabilitation and maintenance
  programmes
• Sharing of information between partner
  organisations
• Promoting independence
• Further develop and refine assessment tools
• Further research