Alabama Traumatic Brain Injury Foundation Training Module
Veterans with TBI
This presentation introduces traumatic brain injury issues related to veterans. A general overview describes the basic definitions, levels of severity, incidence, causes, risk factors, and effects associated with traumatic brain injury. Prevalence and causes of TBI in the military are identified and discussed. The process for screening for brain injuries is presented. Issues related to the service member returning to military duty, returning from theater, and transitioning from service to civilian is reviewed. The audience will receive state-wide and national resources for traumatic brain injury, as well as specific resources related to traumatic brain injury and veteran issues.
Training Objectives:
Participants will be:
Training Outline & Materials:
Training Credit:Continuing Education Units, or CEUs, are required by many professional licensing or certifying bodies. Therefore they are a valuable commodity to professionals who may be attending this Outreach and Education training. The application and approval of CEUs varies for each professional group and can require a great deal of documentation. For additional information on CEUs and Certificates of Attendance in connection with this training module, contact Maria Crowley at maria.crowley@rehab.alabama.gov or (205) 290-4590.
Training Objectives:
Participants will be:
- provided with an explanation of traumatic brain injury, as well as causes, effects, risk factors, mechanism, and prevalence.
- provided with the prevalence and causes of traumatic brain injury in the military.
- provided an explanation of risk and the screening process for traumatic brain injury in the military.
- familiarized with the basics of blast injuries and the various types of blast injuries.
- familiarized with service member issues such as returning to military duty, post-deployment, and transition from the military as it relates to traumatic brain injury
- given information on accessing the resources available in Alabama and nation-wide for persons surviving traumatic brain injury and their caregivers, specific resources related to traumatic brain injury and veteran issues. .
Training Outline & Materials:
- Training Materials: Includes presentation information, Evaluation Form and sign in sheet
- PowerPoint Presentation
Training Credit:Continuing Education Units, or CEUs, are required by many professional licensing or certifying bodies. Therefore they are a valuable commodity to professionals who may be attending this Outreach and Education training. The application and approval of CEUs varies for each professional group and can require a great deal of documentation. For additional information on CEUs and Certificates of Attendance in connection with this training module, contact Maria Crowley at maria.crowley@rehab.alabama.gov or (205) 290-4590.
Resources for Veterans
https://www.research.va.gov/topics/tbi.cfm
https://www.research.va.gov/pubs/docs/va_factsheets/tbi.pdf
https://www.polytrauma.va.gov/
https://www.rehab.va.gov/PROSTHETICS/factsheet/TBI-FactSheet.pdf
Who is Eligible for Care
https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/
Article
Suicide and Traumatic Brain Injury Among Individuals Seeking Veterans Health Administration Services Between Fiscal Years 2006 and 2015
Objective: Examine associations between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and (1) suicide and (2) suicide method among individuals receiving Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care. Setting: VHA, Fiscal Years 2006-2015.
Participants: Veterans with a TBI diagnosis during/prior to the study window (n = 215610), compared with a 20% random sample of those without TBI (n=1187639).
Design: Retrospective, cohort study. Cox proportional hazards models were fit accounting for time-dependent measures, chronic conditions, and demographics for those with TBI compared with those without. Additional models evaluated the impact of TBI severity on the association between TBI and suicide, and method. Main Outcome Measures: Death by and method of suicide.
Results: The hazard of suicide was 2.19 times higher for those with TBI than for those without TBI (95%CI=2.02-2.37), and was still significant after accounting for covariates (hazard ratio [HR]=1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.56-1.87). Considering severity, mild TBI compared with no TBI was significantly associated with an elevated hazard of suicide, after adjusting for covariates (HR=1.62; 95% CI=1.47-1.78). There was also a significant difference in death by suicide between moderate/severe TBI when compared with no TBI, after adjusting for covariates (HR=2.45; 95% CI=2.02-2.97). Moderate/severe TBI was significantly associated with an increase in the odds of suicide by firearm among decedents (odds ratio = 2.39; 95% CI = 1.48-3.87).
Conclusion: Traumatic brain injury is associated with an elevated risk for suicide. Particular concern is warranted for those with moderate/severe TBI. Lethal means safety should be explored as an intervention.
Also see the high rates of psychiatric conditions among those with TBI.
https://www.research.va.gov/topics/tbi.cfm
https://www.research.va.gov/pubs/docs/va_factsheets/tbi.pdf
https://www.polytrauma.va.gov/
https://www.rehab.va.gov/PROSTHETICS/factsheet/TBI-FactSheet.pdf
Who is Eligible for Care
https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/
Article
Suicide and Traumatic Brain Injury Among Individuals Seeking Veterans Health Administration Services Between Fiscal Years 2006 and 2015
Objective: Examine associations between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and (1) suicide and (2) suicide method among individuals receiving Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care. Setting: VHA, Fiscal Years 2006-2015.
Participants: Veterans with a TBI diagnosis during/prior to the study window (n = 215610), compared with a 20% random sample of those without TBI (n=1187639).
Design: Retrospective, cohort study. Cox proportional hazards models were fit accounting for time-dependent measures, chronic conditions, and demographics for those with TBI compared with those without. Additional models evaluated the impact of TBI severity on the association between TBI and suicide, and method. Main Outcome Measures: Death by and method of suicide.
Results: The hazard of suicide was 2.19 times higher for those with TBI than for those without TBI (95%CI=2.02-2.37), and was still significant after accounting for covariates (hazard ratio [HR]=1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.56-1.87). Considering severity, mild TBI compared with no TBI was significantly associated with an elevated hazard of suicide, after adjusting for covariates (HR=1.62; 95% CI=1.47-1.78). There was also a significant difference in death by suicide between moderate/severe TBI when compared with no TBI, after adjusting for covariates (HR=2.45; 95% CI=2.02-2.97). Moderate/severe TBI was significantly associated with an increase in the odds of suicide by firearm among decedents (odds ratio = 2.39; 95% CI = 1.48-3.87).
Conclusion: Traumatic brain injury is associated with an elevated risk for suicide. Particular concern is warranted for those with moderate/severe TBI. Lethal means safety should be explored as an intervention.
Also see the high rates of psychiatric conditions among those with TBI.
