INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 05 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 02:30 pm - 03:45 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry \| Addiction/Dependence \| Stress/Coping \| Emotional/Social Processes Final Abstract #9 Mental and Physical Health Comorbidities in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Comparison with Non-TBI Controls Amber Ayton, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Gershon Spitz, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Amelia Hicks, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Jennie Ponsford, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Category: Acquired Brain Injury (TBI/Cerebrovascular Injury and Disease - Adult) Keyword 1: traumatic brain injury Keyword 2: aging (normal) Keyword 3: medical disorders/illness Objective: Ageing with a moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is thought to be associated with a higher prevalence of health-related comorbidities. However, studies examining this have been limited by the general omission of control group comparisons. This study examined whether ageing with a TBI was associated with a greater burden of health-related comorbidities compared to a demographically similar non-TBI control cohort. The associations between comorbidity burden, emotional outcomes, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after TBI were examined across ages and compared to the control cohort. This study also characterised classes of cooccurring comorbidities in both cohorts, and examined the association between comorbidity classes, demographics, and outcome variables. Participants and Methods: Participants with TBI were recruited during inpatient rehabilitation and had sustained a moderate-severe TBI 1-33 years previously. Control participants were recruited from the community. Logistic regression was used to compare the prevalence of individual health conditions between cohorts. Comorbidity burden for 559 participants was compared across the lifespan by age stratification (ages 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89). The number of cardiovascular, general physical health, and mental health comorbidities was compared between cohorts and age strata using Poisson regression. The relationships between comorbidities, age, symptoms of depression and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and HRQoL (PROMIS Global Health Measure) were examined with linear regression. Distinct subgroups of comorbidities were identified using latent class analysis. The associations of comorbidity classes with demographic and outcome variables were evaluated using multinomial logistic and linear regressions, respectively. Results: Individuals with TBI had a significantly higher comorbidity burden than controls. Specifically, individuals with TBI had significantly higher rates of mental health disorders regardless of age. Cardiovascular and physical health comorbidities were not elevated in the TBI group compared to controls, however an increase in these conditions was seen over the lifespan in both cohorts. Comorbidity latent classes were similar between TBI and control cohorts, suggesting consistent patterns of co-occurring health conditions regardless of TBI exposure. Three distinct comorbidity classes were identified: ‘Low Comorbidity Burden’, ‘High Physical Comorbidity Burden’, and ‘High Mental Health Comorbidity Burden’. Age, sex, and education were related to class assignment in the control cohort only. Mental health comorbidities were associated with elevated depression and anxiety symptoms and diminished HRQoL after TBI compared to controls. Individuals with TBI with cardiovascular or physical comorbidities also experienced diminished HRQoL and greater depression symptomatology than controls, respectively. Conclusions: The current study found that individuals with TBI experienced a greater burden of mental health comorbidities than individuals without TBI at all ages. Individuals with TBI did not have a higher rate of cardiovascular or physical health comorbidities than individuals without TBI. By omitting comparisons with the healthy population, previous findings of increased physical health conditions following TBI may be reflecting normal age-related changes in comorbidity prevalence. This study also highlighted that despite having similar rates of physical and cardiovascular conditions, there is a greater need for long-term emotional and health-related quality of life support in individuals coping with physical or mental health comorbidities following TBI.

Poster

02/15/2024
02:30 pm - 03:45 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry | Addiction/Dependence | Stress/Coping | Emotional/Social Processes

Final Abstract #9

Mental and Physical Health Comorbidities in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Comparison with Non-TBI Controls

Amber Ayton, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Gershon Spitz, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Amelia Hicks, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Jennie Ponsford, Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Category: Acquired Brain Injury (TBI/Cerebrovascular Injury and Disease - Adult)

Keyword 1: traumatic brain injury
Keyword 2: aging (normal)
Keyword 3: medical disorders/illness

Objective:

Ageing with a moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is thought to be associated with a higher prevalence of health-related comorbidities. However, studies examining this have been limited by the general omission of control group comparisons. This study examined whether ageing with a TBI was associated with a greater burden of health-related comorbidities compared to a demographically similar non-TBI control cohort. The associations between comorbidity burden, emotional outcomes, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after TBI were examined across ages and compared to the control cohort. This study also characterised classes of cooccurring comorbidities in both cohorts, and examined the association between comorbidity classes, demographics, and outcome variables.

Participants and Methods:

Participants with TBI were recruited during inpatient rehabilitation and had sustained a moderate-severe TBI 1-33 years previously. Control participants were recruited from the community. Logistic regression was used to compare the prevalence of individual health conditions between cohorts. Comorbidity burden for 559 participants was compared across the lifespan by age stratification (ages 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89). The number of cardiovascular, general physical health, and mental health comorbidities was compared between cohorts and age strata using Poisson regression. The relationships between comorbidities, age, symptoms of depression and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and HRQoL (PROMIS Global Health Measure) were examined with linear regression. Distinct subgroups of comorbidities were identified using latent class analysis. The associations of comorbidity classes with demographic and outcome variables were evaluated using multinomial logistic and linear regressions, respectively.

Results:

Individuals with TBI had a significantly higher comorbidity burden than controls. Specifically, individuals with TBI had significantly higher rates of mental health disorders regardless of age. Cardiovascular and physical health comorbidities were not elevated in the TBI group compared to controls, however an increase in these conditions was seen over the lifespan in both cohorts. Comorbidity latent classes were similar between TBI and control cohorts, suggesting consistent patterns of co-occurring health conditions regardless of TBI exposure. Three distinct comorbidity classes were identified: ‘Low Comorbidity Burden’, ‘High Physical Comorbidity Burden’, and ‘High Mental Health Comorbidity Burden’. Age, sex, and education were related to class assignment in the control cohort only. Mental health comorbidities were associated with elevated depression and anxiety symptoms and diminished HRQoL after TBI compared to controls. Individuals with TBI with cardiovascular or physical comorbidities also experienced diminished HRQoL and greater depression symptomatology than controls, respectively.

Conclusions:

The current study found that individuals with TBI experienced a greater burden of mental health comorbidities than individuals without TBI at all ages. Individuals with TBI did not have a higher rate of cardiovascular or physical health comorbidities than individuals without TBI. By omitting comparisons with the healthy population, previous findings of increased physical health conditions following TBI may be reflecting normal age-related changes in comorbidity prevalence. This study also highlighted that despite having similar rates of physical and cardiovascular conditions, there is a greater need for long-term emotional and health-related quality of life support in individuals coping with physical or mental health comorbidities following TBI.