Hours and costs of formal and informal care following Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury sustained through Motor Vehicle Accidents: A Cross-sectional Study.
Robert Gordon, Grahame K Simpson, Josephine M Paasila
PMID 37317941WHAT IT FOUND
People with spinal cord injury used more care hours and cost more annually than those with brain injury.
Informal care by family or friends made up the largest share of costs for both groups, exceeding formal paid services.
Key findings
01Annual costs for formal and informal care were significantly higher for the spinal cord injury group compared to the traumatic brain injury group.
02Informal care costs exceeded formal care costs for both injury groups, with home support being the primary driver of informal care hours.
03Within the traumatic brain injury group, individuals with post-traumatic amnesia lasting more than 90 days incurred significantly higher costs for both formal and informal care than those with shorter durations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample size was relatively small (111 participants). Data relied on participant and carer recall of the previous four weeks, which may lead to under- or over-estimation of hours. The study excluded the most disabled spinal cord injury group (ventilator-dependent quadriplegics), so costs for this population are not represented. Data were collected before the implementation of major Australian compensation schemes like the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), so current service utilization patterns may differ. Costs were calculated using a single flat hourly rate ($70.00) for both formal and informal care, which does not reflect the varying market rates for different types of paid services.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was conducted in collaboration with specialist units in New South Wales.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these costs reflect current Australian funding models. The data were collected before the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the Lifetime Care and Support Scheme (LTCS), so the balance of formal versus informal care and the total financial burden may be different for patients today.