Symptom expectation after minor head injury. A comparative study between Canada and Lithuania

Objectives: The purpose of the present study is to compare the frequency an d nature of expected symptoms in Lithuania (a country where the chronic pos t-concussive syndrome is largely unknown) with that in Canada. Methods: A s ymptom checklist was administered to two subject groups selected from local companies in Kaunas, Lithuania, and Edmonton, Canada, respectively. Subjec ts were asked to imagine having suffered head trauma with loss of conscious ness in a motor vehicle accident, and to check off symptoms they expected m ight arise from the injury. For symptoms they anticipated, they were asked to select the period of time they expected those symptoms to persist. Resul ts: In both the Lithuanian and Edmontonian groups,, the pattern or symptoms anticipated closely resembled the acute symptoms commonly reported by acci dent victims with minor head injury. Yet, while many, Edmontonians also ant icipated symptoms to last months or years, very few Lithuanian subjects sel ected any symptoms as being likely to persist in a chronic manner. Conclusi ons: In Lithuania, despite the frequent experience of minor head injury in motor vehicle accidents, there is a very low rate of expectation of any chr onic sequelae from such an injury, contrasting greatly with the response sh own in Canada, where the prevalence of the chronic post-concussive syndrome is higher. Symptom expectation in some countries may be all important fact or in the development of the chronic post-concussive syndrome. (C) 2001 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.