A study of patient-related characteristics and outcome after moderate injury

The purpose of all injury care is to; restore patients' pre-injury functioning and to facilitate the return to normal activities. The aim of this prospective study was to describe and analyse psychiatric factors and other patient-related characteristics which influence long-term results after moderate injuries. One hundred and sixty-nine injured patients were randomized to go through a comprehensive psychosocial research protocol and to participate in the 12 month follow up. The 49 patients lost to follow-up differed significantly from all other patients. They were more often single, blue-collar workers with a lower educational level and had a less favourable psychosocial background, including alcohol abuse. The 120 patients who completed the follow-up were divided in two groups: the non-recovered group (NR, N=58), patients reporting limitations in performing their work and/or limitations in carrying out housework and/or in social life, and the recovered group (R, N=62), patients reporting full recovery or only minor limitations in exercise or sports 22 months after the injury. The NR patients were older (P<0.05), had a slightly higher Injury Severity Score (P<0.01) and showed signs of depression both during the acute post-injury period and at I year follow up (P<0.001). The multivariate analysis showed that measurements of pain and depression during the acute post-injury period were associated with the functional outcome after 12 months. Co-operation between injury and psychiatric units should be developed to identify patients needing psychosocial or psychiatric support during the early phase of rehabilitation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.