A. Bowen et al., Evaluation of a community-based neuropsychological rehabilitation service for people with traumatic brain injury, NEUROREHAB, 13(3), 1999, pp. 147-155
Objectives: To determine whether a community-based, interdisciplinary, trau
matic brain injury (TBI) team was more beneficial than existing services, a
nd whether Early was better than Late intervention.
Design: Subjects were consecutive hospital admissions. Assignment, to pre-d
ischarge (Early), post-discharge (Late) intervention or control condition (
existing services only), was by a prespecified timetable. Outcomes were com
pared at six months post-injury using logistic regression analyses.
Results: 104 (73%) of those eligible participated. Adjusting for potential
confounding factors confirmed a clinically plausible superior outcome for b
oth intervention groups compared to the control group in some areas but not
others. These were not statistically significant (p > 0.01).
Conclusions: The lack of evidence of effectiveness must be treated with cau
tion due to limitations with certain design issues (e.g statistical power).
Analysis of intervention data suggested that team-working took place but l
ack of experience may have hindered their efficacy at identifying all those
in need of intervention.