Mental and physical health comorbidities in traumatic brain injury: A comparison with non-TBI controls.

Abstract

Ageing with a moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be associated with a higher prevalence of health-related comorbidities. Comorbidity burden may exacerbate unfavorable TBI outcomes. Current studies have been unable to examine these assumptions. Conclusions: Individuals with TBI experienced a higher prevalence of mental, but not physical or cardiovascular, health comorbidities in the decades following injury. Comorbidity latent classes were similar between TBI and control cohorts, suggesting that individuals with TBI require clinical care that addresses multimorbidity, like the general population. 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.