Influence of TBI Impairments and Related Caregiver Stress on Family Needs in Guadalajara, Mexico

Abstract

This study recruited 90 traumatic brain injury (TBI) caregivers from Guadalajara, Mexico to examine influences of five domains of TBI impairment and related caregiver stress on five types of family needs. Canonical correlations suggested that greater social impairment in individuals with TBI and related caregiver stress were associated with higher informational, household and health needs in families. Meanwhile greater physical impairments in individuals with TBI and related caregiver stress were associated with higher household needs. Additionally, greater emotional impairments in individuals with TBI and related caregiver stress were associated with higher informational needs. Caregiver interventions targeting specific TBI impairments and related caregiver stress may meet family needs and thereby improve the quality of informal care for their family members with TBI.

Efficacy and Implementation Planning Across the Veterans Affairs Polytrauma System of Care: Protocol for the REACH Intervention for Caregivers of Veterans and Service Members With Traumatic Brain Injury (Preprint)

“…14 Caregivers often receive little formalized training or support in caregiving and symptom management, and physical symptoms in individuals with TBI are associated with greater family household needs, and emotional symptoms with greater family informational needs. 15 Among caregivers of V/SMs with TBI, over 40% of their needs go unmet; greater environmental barriers keeping the V/SM from participating in activities and the presence of V/SM mental health issues translate into more unmet emotional, community, and professional support needs. 16 Despite some parallels to civilian populations with TBI, V/SMs can have unique features of TBI (e.g., polytraumatic, blast-related) and high rates of particular comorbid conditions (e.g., posttraumatic stress and pain) that impact V/SMs' health and needs [17][18][19] and may require additional and unique caregiving skills.…”

Efficacy and Implementation Planning Across the Veterans Affairs Polytrauma System of Care: Protocol for the REACH Intervention for Caregivers of Veterans and Service Members With Traumatic Brain Injury

“…[14] Caregivers often receive little formalized training or support in caregiving and symptom management, and physical symptoms in individuals with TBI are associated with greater family household needs, and emotional symptoms with greater family informational needs. [15] Among caregivers of V/SMs with TBI, over 40% of their needs go unmet with caregiver peer support, respite from caregiving, and help with caregiver negative emotions being the least often met needs; greater environmental barriers keeping the V/SM from participating in activities and the presence of V/SM mental health issues translate into more unmet emotional, community, and professional support needs. [16] Despite some parallels to civilian populations with TBI, V/SMs can have unique features of TBI (e.g., polytraumatic, blast-related) and high rates of particular comorbid conditions (e.g., posttraumatic stress and pain) that impact V/SMs' health and needs [17], [18], [19] and may require additional and unique caregiving skills.…”