Caregiver Characteristics of Adults with Acute Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States and Latin America

Shannon B. Juengst, Paul B. Perrin, Daniel W. Klyce, Therese M. O’Neil-Pirozzi, Susan Herrera, Brittany Wright, Jean Lengenfelder, Kirk Lercher, Librada Callender and Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla
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Shannon B. Juengst: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
Paul B. Perrin: Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Daniel W. Klyce: Central Virginia Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Richmond, VA 23249, USA
Therese M. O’Neil-Pirozzi: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
Susan Herrera: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
Brittany Wright: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
Jean Lengenfelder: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07101, USA
Kirk Lercher: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Hackensack Meridian Health, Edison, NJ 08820, USA
Librada Callender: Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation, Dallas, TX 75246, USA
Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla: BioCruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, 48903 Barakaldo, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: Objectives : To compare characteristics of caregivers of adults with acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the U.S. and Latin America (Mexico and Colombia). Design : Secondary data analysis of two cohorts. Cohort 1: English-speaking caregivers of adults with TBI in the U.S. (n = 80). Cohort 2: Spanish-speaking caregivers of adults with TBI in Mexico or Colombia (n = 109). Results : Similarities between the U.S. and Latin American caregiver groups, respectively, were: predominantly women (81.3%, 81.7%, respectively); spouses/domestic partners (45%, 31.2%); and motor vehicle accident (41.5%, 48.6%) followed by fall etiologies (40%, 21.1%). Differences between U.S. and Latin American caregivers were: age (49.5 years, 41.5 years, p < 0.001); employment status (( Χ 5 2 = 59.63, p < 0.001), full-time employment (63.7%, 25.7%), homemaker (2.5%, 31.2%), and retired (17.5%, 1.8%)); violence-related etiology (2.5%, 15.6%); and severity of depressive symptoms ( M = 7.9, SD = 5.8; M = 5.8, SD = 5.7; p = 0.014). Conclusions : TBI caregivers in the U.S. were older and employed full-time or retired more often than those in Latin America. Violence-related etiology was nearly five times more common in Latin America, raising concerns for potential implications of post-traumatic stress and family adjustment after injury. Although both groups likely could use mental health support, this was particularly true of the U.S. cohort, maybe due to differential demographics, mechanisms of injury, or family and community support.

Keywords: traumatic brain injury; caregivers; Latin America; cross-cultural; acute (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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