Prevalence and characteristics of neuropsychiatric symptoms, quality of life and psychotropic drugs in people with acquired brain injury in long-term care.
Kohnen, R., Lavrijsen, J., Smals, O., Gerritsen, D., & Koopmans, R.
18 July 2019Abstract
Purpose
To determine the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), quality of life and psychotropic drug use in people aged ≤65 years with acquired brain injury in nursing homes.
Design
Cross-sectional, observational study of patients aged 18-≤65 years with acquired brain injury admitted to special care units in Dutch nursing homes.
Methods
According to the Commission for Research on Human Subjects in January 2017, this study did not require ethical approval. Nursing homes are recruited through the nationally acquired brain injury expertise network for patients with severe brain injury, the regional brain injury teams and by searching the internet. Patient characteristics will be collected by means of digital questionnaires. Neuropsychiatric symptoms will be assessed with the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home version, the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, and the St. Andrews Sexual Behavior Assessment; cognition with the Mini-Mental State Examination, quality of life with the Quality of Life after Brain Injury Overall Scale, and activities of daily living with the Disability Rating Scale. Medication is retrieved from the electronic prescription system. Data collection began in 2017 and will be followed by data analysis in 2019. The report will be completed in 2020.
Discussion
Little is known about NPD in patients with acquired brain injury in nursing homes. In patients up to the age of 65, only six studies were found on the prevalence of NPS.
Impact
Patients with severe acquired brain injury experience lifelong consequences, which have a major impact on them and their environment. While there is increasing attention to the survival of this vulnerable group of patients, it is also important to raise awareness about the long-term consequences, especially NPS, quality of life and psychotropic drug use in acquired brain injury. Insight into the extent of these problems is necessary to achieve appropriate care for these patients.
Keywords
acquired brain injury, long-term care, neuropsychiatric complaints, nurses/midwives/nursing, nursing home, prevalence, psychotropic drugs, quality of life