Jm. Silver et al., The association between head injuries and psychiatric disorders: findings from the New Haven NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study, BRAIN INJUR, 15(11), 2001, pp. 935-945
Primary objective: To determine the association of report of any history of
head injury with loss of consciousness or confusion and a lifetime diagnos
is of psychiatric disorder in a general population.
Research design: A probability sample of adults from the New Haven portion
of the NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area programme were administered standa
rdized and validated structured interviews. The main outcome measures were
lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicide attempt in individ
uals with and without a history of traumatic brain injury.
Main outcomes and results: Among 5034 individuals interviewed, 361 admitted
to a history of severe brain trauma with loss of consciousness or confusio
n (weighted rate of 8.5/100). When controlling for sociodemographic factors
, quality of life indicators and alcohol use, risk was increased for major
depression, dysthymia, panic disorder, OCD, phobic disorder and drug abuse/
dependence. In addition, lifetime risk of suicide attempt was greater in th
ose who had suffered head injury.
Conclusion: Individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury have signi
ficantly higher occurrence for psychiatric disorders and suicide attempts i
n comparison with those without head injury and have a poorer quality of li
fe. Future studies should examine the nature of this relationship, focusing
on the severity of the brain injury and the temporal contiguity of the bra
in injury and psychiatric disorder.