Neighborhood Deprivation and Recovery Following Traumatic Brain Injury Among Older Adults.

The study is observational, so it shows an association between neighborhood deprivation and home time, not that deprivation caused fewer days at home. Beneficiaries with Medicare Advantage plans were excluded, so the results may not apply to them. Beneficiaries in areas without Area Deprivation Index values were excluded, including people in congregate settings, so the results may not apply to assisted living or similar settings. Only older adults hospitalized with TBI were included, so people with milder injuries may be underrepresented. The data did not measure cognition, social support, distance to quality care, or health literacy, which could affect recovery. Home time was defined from claims and may not capture the quality of care or rehabilitation received.

The supplied text does not include an author disclosure statement. The publication types indicate NIH extramural research support.

Do not read the 12 fewer days at home as proof that neighborhood deprivation causes slower recovery. This was an observational claims analysis, not a tested intervention, and it did not show that moving someone to a less deprived area or adding rehabilitation services would change home time.