• Mohammadali Nikoo, Anne Gadermann, Matthew J To, Michael Krausz, Stephen W Hwang, and Anita Palepu.
• Institute of Mental Health, Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Department of Medicine (Dr Nikoo), Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Department of Medicine (Dr Gadermann), Addiction Research, Institute of Mental Health (Dr Krausz), and Division of General Internal Medicine, Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Department of Medicine (Dr Palepu), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; and Centre for Research on Inner City Health, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Mr To and Dr Hwang).
• J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2017 Jul 1; 32 (4): E19-E26.

ObjectiveTo examine the factors associated with incident traumatic brain injury (TBI) among homeless and vulnerably housed persons over a 3-year follow-up period.Setting And ParticipantsData were obtained from the Health and Housing in Transition study, which tracked the health and housing status of 1190 homeless or vulnerably housed individuals in 3 Canadian cities for 3 years.Design And Main MeasuresMain measure was self-reported incident TBI during the follow-up period. Factors associated with TBI were ascertained using mixed-effects logistic regression.ResultsDuring first, second, and third years of follow-up, 187 (19.4%), 166 (17.1%), and 172 (17.9%) participants reported a minimum of 1 incident TBI, respectively. Among 825 participants with available data for all 3 years of follow-up, 307 (37.2%) reported at least 1 incident TBI during the 3-year follow-up period. Lifetime prevalence of TBI, endorsing a history of mental health diagnoses at baseline, problematic alcohol and drug use, younger age, poorer mental health, and residential instability were associated with increased risk of incident TBI during follow-up period.ConclusionMental health support and addressing residential instability and problematic substance use may reduce further risk of TBI and its associated poor health and social outcomes in this population.

28 keywords...

hide…