Abstract:
The University of Washington is the lead center in an innovative, three-site TBI telephone intervention funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The study is being carried out here as well as at two other Model Systems Centers across the country: Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Methodist Rehabilitation, in Jackson, Mississippi.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of a low-cost phone intervention for persons with moderate to severe TBI in such areas as community integration and employment at one and two years after injury. Participation in the study will be offered to individuals with TBIs who are receiving inpatient rehabilitation services at Harborview and the UW Medical Centers. The hope is to refine a model of service delivery that would be cost-effective, simple to replicate in a variety of settings, and effective in meeting the needs of those with less access to traditional community rehabilitation services.

The study was modeled after a successful pilot project carried out at the UW between 1998-2002. The pilot found that those who received the phone intervention had better outcomes of overall function and quality of life. The current project expands the number of subjects and the length of the intervention. Involving three separate sites that differ widely in regional location will also allow the investigators to evaluate whether the effects of the interventions are similar in different geographical areas and demographic subgroups.

Persons in the treatment group, along with a significant other, will receive phone calls from a Research Care Manager (RCM) periodically for 21 months. The RCM will provide supportive counseling, educational information about TBI, problem-solving assistance and referral to community resources. The intervention focuses on helping individuals increase their success at dealing with the multiple, complex challenges experienced after a TBI.