Mapping the costs and socioeconomic characteristics involved in traumatic brain injuries: a scoping review.
Fanny Crozes, Cyrille Delpierre, Nadège Costa
PMID 39101675WHAT IT FOUND
Most studies link lower socioeconomic status to higher costs and worse outcomes after traumatic brain injury, but the evidence is sparse and inconsistent.
Only two studies fully measured social position, so current data cannot reliably guide clinical decisions on individual patients.
Key findings
01Socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with increased costs and complications in half of the included studies, but three studies found no significant association.
02Traumatic brain injury itself can worsen a patient's social and financial standing, leading to job loss, decreased income, and increased debt.
03The quality of evidence is limited because only two of the twenty-two studies fully measured the three main dimensions of socioeconomic position.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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
Only 22 articles were included, and the search was limited to English and French, which may have missed relevant studies. The quality of the included studies varied, with only two fully measuring the key socioeconomic variables of education, income, and occupation. The review is a scoping review, meaning it maps the extent of the literature but does not synthesize effect sizes or prove causality. Most studies were retrospective, relying on existing records which may not contain accurate or complete socioeconomic data. The results are mixed, with some studies showing a link between disadvantage and poor outcomes and others showing none.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that socioeconomic status is a reliable predictor of individual patient outcomes in your clinic. The evidence is inconsistent, with several studies finding no significant association, and the measurement of socioeconomic status in the included studies was often incomplete or indirect.