Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate health-related quality of life of traumatic brain injury
patients who have received intensive multidisciplinary residential
rehabilitation. To examine the psychometric characteristics of the Finnish
Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI) questionnaire. SUBJECTS: A total of
157 adults with TBI, up to 15 years post-injury, who had been treated in the
Kapyla Rehabilitation Centre, Helsinki, Finland. METHODS: Functional status was
assessed using the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale. Emotional state was evaluated
using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Health-related quality of life
was measured using a generic measure (Short Form-36) and the QOLIBRI. RESULTS:
Quality of life was related to depression, amount of help needed, anxiety,
education level and age at injury. Quality of life was not associated with time
since injury, but a paradoxical relationship was found with injury severity.
Internal consistency (alpha = 0.79-0.95) and test-retest reliability (rtt =
0.75-0.87) of the Finnish QOLIBRI met standard psychometric criteria. CONCLUSION:
Quality of life remained relatively stable in the long term. Milder injuries were
associated with lower life satisfaction, and careful follow-up is recommended to
target patients in special need. This study confirms the reliability and validity
of the Finnish QOLIBRI.

Langue : ANGLAIS