Article

The Department of Veterans Affairs traumatic brain injury (TBI) screening program
is intended to detect and expedite treatment for TBI and postconcussive symptoms.
Between April 14, 2007, and May 31, 2012, of 66,089 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
who screened positive on first-level TBI screening and later completed
comprehensive TBI evaluation that includes the Neurobehavioral Symptoms
Inventory, 72% reported moderate to very severe cognitive impairment (problems
with attention, concentration, memory, etc.) that interfered with daily
activities. This included 42% who were found not to have sustained combat-related
mild TBI (mTBI). In contrast, 70.0% received a posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) diagnosis and 45.8% received a depression diagnosis. Compared with
Veterans without mTBI, PTSD, or depression diagnoses, the lowest risk for
self-reported cognitive impairment was in Veterans with confirmed mTBI only; a
greater risk was found in those with PTSD diagnoses, with the greatest risk in
Veterans with PTSD, depression, and confirmed mTBI, suggesting only a weakly
additive effect of mTBI. These findings suggest that Veterans with multiple
mental health comorbidities, not just those with TBI, report moderate to very
severe cognitive impairment. Mental health treatment for conditions such as PTSD
and depression (with or without TBI) may result in improvements in cognitive
functioning and/or include assessment and support for Veterans experiencing
cognitive problems.

Langue : ANGLAIS