Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine if systematic variation of diagnostic terminology (ie,
concussion, minor head injury [MHI], mild traumatic brain injury [mTBI])
following a standardized injury description produced different expected symptoms
and illness perceptions. We hypothesized that worse outcomes would be expected of
mTBI, compared with other diagnoses, and that MHI would be perceived as worse
than concussion. METHOD: 108 volunteers were randomly allocated to conditions in
which they read a vignette describing a motor vehicle accident-related mTBI
followed by a diagnosis of mTBI (n = 27), MHI (n = 24), concussion (n = 31), or,
no diagnosis (n = 26). All groups rated (a) event "undesirability," (b) illness
perception, and (c) expected postconcussion syndrome (PCS) and posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms 6 months after injury. RESULTS: There was a
statistically significant group effect on undesirability (mTBI > concussion and
MHI), PTSD symptomatology (mTBI and no diagnosis > concussion), and negative
illness perception (mTBI and no diagnosis > concussion). CONCLUSION: In general,
diagnostic terminology did not affect anticipated PCS symptoms 6 months after
injury, but other outcomes were affected. Given that these diagnostic terms are
used interchangeably, this study suggests that changing terminology can influence
known contributors to poor mTBI outcome.

Langue : ANGLAIS