There are a number of factors that can lead to mortality following a brain injury, which is why it’s always so important to seek medical care when you’re hurt. There are a number of factors that determine if your brain injury will lead to disability or death.
Model system researchers looked into the factors associated with the deaths of those 16 or older who have suffered brain injuries. In those studies, it was discovered that everyone performed poorer across several measures including the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale, the Disability Rating Scale, Participating Assessment (With the Recombined Tool Objective), Functional Independence Measure and Satisfaction with Life Scale. These scales measured physical, psychosocial and cognitive outcomes following a brain injury in around 12,000 patients.
The most significant impact that brain injuries had across all these patients was in the Functional Independence Measure. When people died, it was often as a result of a difference in their motor skills, measured by this test. What that shows is that mobility is extremely important as a way of surviving. When a patient isn’t mobile, it limits their ability to care for themselves and hurts their potential for a long life.
Following a brain injury, understanding a patient’s needs can help prevent injuries of other kinds. By researching these kinds of statistics, it’s easier for the medical profession to prescribe a way of living to those who suffer from brain damage and disabilities. More research is needed but knowing that mobility is an issue can help caregivers do more to support their patients in the future.
