Predicting self-reported recovery one year after major road traffic accident trauma.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the self-reported health status of road traffic accident victims and the predictors of self-assessed recovery 1 year after major trauma in a French population.

DESIGN

A follow-up study.

METHODS

The cohort comprised 276 seriously injured victims of road traffic accidents, aged > 16 years from the Rhône administrative department, France. Victim characteristics at the time of the crash and self-reported health status 1 year after trauma were collected. Predictive factors for self--assessed recovery were examined using a Poisson regression approach.

RESULTS

The majority of victims were male (76%); most had severe injuries (76%), involving mainly the lower limbs and the head (68% and 55%, respectively). At 1-year follow-up, 80% reported being not fully recovered. Self-reported health status was not significantly associated with age, gender, being in employment, type of road user, or health status during the year preceding the accident, but rather with low socio-economic status, high injury severity, and presence of lower limb injury.

CONCLUSION

Care for subjects who are at high risk of not fully recovering (manual workers, the very seriously injured, and those with lower limb injury) needs to be extended and improved. Longer follow-up studies on the risk factors for not fully recovering are needed in order to reduce harmful consequences for victims.