J Trauma
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Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) have consistently been reported as causing adverse outcomes for both patients and service providers. However, little is known about the DAMA of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The objectives of this study were to develop a risk profile of DAMA patients in the TBI population, to examine factors associated with DAMA occurrence, and to examine specifically whether injury intention (unintentional vs. intentional) is a significant predictor of DAMA. ⋯ TBI patients who leave hospital against medical advice are a high-risk population. Early identification of these patients could allow implementation of better prevention and management strategies, thus improving health outcomes and enhancing healthcare delivery.