Objectives: The overall purpose of this study is to illuminate the changeover process experienced by people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in every day life and to increase our understanding of this process. Three main questions are in focus: (i) the process in time, (ii) social support and (iii) long-term consequences.
Methods: Persons who as adults acquire a TBI have been interviewed using an interview guide comprising six themes: (i) consequences of TBI, (ii) family and social network, (iii) working life and occupation, (iv) life-changes, (v) support from society and (vi) every day life. The interviews are qualitative deep interviews, lasting 1-2 hours. The informants were in total 15, aged 19-53 when injured and 28-56 when interviewed.
Results: Reported consequences were positive as well as negative, some were of physical, cognitive or psychosocial sort, e.g. 11 had problems with movements and coordination, 11 had memory disorder and 10 reported depression. The positive consequences were, e.g. better self-knowledge, deeper family ties and new life values. A majority of the informants had difficulties in returning to the work force. Almost all had in hospital rehabilitation in connection to the initial hospital care.
Conclusion: A preliminarily conclusion shows that significant others, e.g. next of kin, have had an important function as a driving force for training and for the life-situation after injury. Moreover, a majority of those interviewed were satisfied with support from society, e.g. hospital-care, rehabilitation and community support. Such support, initially, flew without problems but demanded more of the TBI-personals’ initiatives to work out in the extension. A long-term support which deals with physical, cognitive as well as psychosocial consequences is important for the outcomes in everyday life.
2005.
Advanced Health Sciences of Tomorrow, Mälardalens högskola, Västerås, Sweden, 9–10 november 2005