P. Poorna Chandrika1, W. J. Alexander Gnanadurai2, R. Saravana Jothi3
BACKGROUND
Millions of people are affected by Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) worldwide and a significant number of affected persons live with disability. Early mortality has considerably improved as a result of advances in the management of the early acute stages. The long-term psychiatric consequences of traumatic brain injury are numerous and have enormous impact on rehabilitation, quality of life and outcomes such as return to work.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty patients with history of head injury fulfilling the inclusion criteria and 50 attenders of other patients without history of head injury attending same clinic were taken. They were matched for age, sex and socioeconomic background. Patients and controls were administered Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Mini Mental State Examination Scale. A clinical interview was done for assessing personality disorder based on DSM IV criteria. Chi-square test was used with one degree of freedom and Yates correction wherever necessary.
RESULTS
Among cases 62% qualified for psychiatric diagnosis and among controls 12% qualified for psychiatric diagnosis. Among the psychiatric diagnosis of cases majority consisted of depression (24.0%) 12 persons. Statistically, depression and personality disorder have correlation with traumatic head injury (P <0.05).
CONCLUSION
Psychiatric sequelae are more in head injury patients. Depression and personality disorder are significantly more in head injury population. Injury to frontal region has significant association with personality disorder.
