Self-management after traumatic brain injury: a narrative inquiry
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A narrative inquiry into the experiences of people with traumatic brain injury and family members in ‘self-managing’ over the first two years following discharge from hospital.
IRAS ID
168036
Contact name
Petra M Makela
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Following admission to hospital with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI), good physical recovery usually allows discharge directly home. Long term problems that may result include physical symptoms (such as headache, dizziness, and poor balance), psychological symptoms (such as reduced speed of processing and memory problems) and associated emotional symptoms (anxiety and low mood). At six months after injury, a significant proportion continue to experience problems in returning to their social roles and responsibilities.
Services for patients after discharge from hospital are patchy, difficult to access and lack responsiveness, as reflected in the reports from people and family members concerning insufficient support for life after TBI. The most useful form of support and intervention for these variable challenges is yet to be established. Increasingly, the role of self-management support is recognised for people with long-term conditions and has been named as a priority for commissioners.
This narrative study will involve collecting accounts from people after TBI and family members, with the aim of seeking to understand their experience of self-managing following discharge home from King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Major Trauma Centre. The research will investigate the factors which individuals and their family members/significant others themselves identify to be of importance, rather than healthcare-professional determined outcomes.
Information gained through this study will be applied to enhance and develop self-management support for people after TBI, and to inform assessment of its effectiveness that is meaningful for patients and families. This is pertinent in view of findings that satisfaction with life after TBI, and changes people perceive as important and relevant, are not captured by traditionally implemented outcome measures.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0525
Date of REC Opinion
2 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion