A population-based outcomes study of persons hospitalized with traumatic brain injury: operations of the South Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Follow-up Registry

OBJECTIVE: To describe the design and operations of the South Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Follow-up Registry. DESIGN: Statewide prospective cohort study. SETTING: State of South Carolina. PARTICIPANTS: 2118 persons discharged from acute care hospitals after experiencing TBI. INTERVENTION: Telephone interviews. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Service needs, alcohol and drug use, psychosocial health, health-related quality of life, functional status, symptoms of TBI, employment, global life satisfaction, and death. RESULTS: Selected initial and 1-year follow-up findings concerning demographic, insurance status, income, and employment factors. CONCLUSIONS: Population-based outcome studies that describe longer term problems associated with TBI, the need for services, and estimated disability could be useful to inform public policy.