QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) IN PATIENTS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI): A LITERATURE REVIEW
ABSTRACT: To describe the
definition of quality of life (QoL) and identify the most appropriate tool for
QoL assessment used in patients with TBI.
Method: Searching was conducted from PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCO, and ProQuest
during 2000-2011. A total of 33 studies were analyzed for this review
consisting of 9 review studies, 2 intervention studies, and 22 descriptive
studies.
Result: Two important definitions of QoL were used in studies related to
TBI namely achievement and subjective well-being. Although varieties of generic
measurements have been used to measure QoL in TBI patients, there was a lack of
TBI-specific Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) instrument. Despite the
different approach and time measured either short or long outcomes, appropriate
domains of QoL tool seem essential particularly among those with moderate and
severe TBI.
Conclusion: QoL is a wide concept which can be defined in several
dimensions. The QOLIBRI as a new disease-specific QoL measurement in TBI seems
a feasible and valid approach for the assessment of QoL in TBI. However, the
application across cultural remains a challenge and needs a validation.
Author: Nury Sukraeny, Praneed
Songwathana, Wipa Sae-Sia
Journal Code: jpkeperawatangg130012
