Measuring post-discharge socioeconomic and quality of life outcomes in trauma patients: a scoping review

Abstract

Purpose Trauma is a global public health challenge. Measuring post-discharge socioeconomic and quality-of-life outcomes can help better understand and reduce the consequences of trauma. Methods We performed a scoping review to map the existing research on post-discharge outcomes for trauma patients, irrespective of the country or setting in which the study was performed. The scoping review was conducted by searching six databases – MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Global Index Medicus, BASE, and Web of Science – to identify all articles that report post-discharge socioeconomic or quality of life outcomes in trauma patients from 2009 to 2018. Results Seven hundred fifty-eight articles were included in this study, extracting 958 outcomes. Most studies (82%) were from high-income countries (HICs). More studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) were cross-sectional (71%) compared with HIC settings (46%). There was a wide variety of different definitions, interpretations, and measurements used by various articles for similar outcomes. Quality of life, return to work, social support, cost, and participation were the main outcomes studied in post-discharge trauma patients. Conclusions The wide range of outcomes and outcome measures reported across different types of injuries and settings. This variability can be a barrier when comparing across different types of injuries and settings. Post-discharge trauma studies should move towards building evidence based on standardized measurement of outcomes.

A qualitative longitudinal study of traumatic orthopaedic injury survivors’ experiences with pain and the long-term recovery trajectory

“…As being employed positively influences health and well-being,80 return to work is among the most-studied socioeconomic outcomes in research among trauma patients 81. A systematic review and meta-analysis comprising 43 studies showed that more than 36% of adult trauma patients had not returned to work during the first year following discharge,11 reflecting the mental and physical burden among survivors of physical trauma.…”

“…As being employed positively influences health and well-being, 80 return to work is among the most-studied socioeconomic outcomes in research among trauma patients. 81 A systematic review and meta-analysis comprising 43 studies showed that more than 36% of adult trauma patients had not returned to work during the first year following discharge, 11 reflecting the mental and physical burden among survivors of physical trauma. The average NISS score in our study population was 23 (range 13–29), categorising the participants as severely injured (NISS>15), and most had yet to return to full-time work or study at 18 months postdischarge.…”

Patient-reported outcomes relevant to post-discharge trauma patients in urban India

“…There are many tools to measure PROs, but existing evidence on using these PROs to measure trauma care outcomes comes largely from high income countries (HICs) (24,25). LMICs bear a greater trauma burden, yet have inadequate research on PROs in trauma care; and it is crucial to identify the outcomes most relevant, applicable, and suitable to a context.…”

“…There are many tools to measure PROs. Existing evidence on using PROs in trauma care comes largely from high income countries (HICs) (24,25). Therefore, it is important to pick tools that are suitable to a given context so that the appropriate outcome is used to monitor and improve trauma care.…”

Prolonged time to recovery and its predictors among trauma patients admitted to the intensive care units in comprehensive specialized hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia: a multicenter retrospective follow-up study, 2022

“…Upon lengthy admission, 8 of 10 traumatic patients developed psychological stress and traumatic brain injury ( 5 ). Furthermore, it could be a signal that the hospitals are delivering low-quality care with unnecessary delays ( 6 ). In Ethiopia, the standard hospital length of stay (LOS) for inpatients should be 5 days ( 7 ).…”