Health-related quality of life in caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury from Guadalajara, Mexico.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of the present study was to assess the health-related quality of life of a group of family caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury from Guadalajara, Mexico.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Ninety family caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury and 83 healthy controls completed the Short-Form 36, a self-report health-related quality of life measure composed of 8 component areas: physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, mental health, and role-emotional. The samples were statistically similar with respect to age, gender, marital status, and education. However, caregivers had significantly lower household income than controls.

RESULTS

After controlling for income, results showed significantly lower scores for traumatic brain injury caregivers compared with healthy controls on 6 Short-Form 36 subscales: role-emotional, vitality, mental health, social functioning, bodily pain, and general health.

CONCLUSION

Caregivers of individuals with traumatic brain injury living in Guadalajara, Mexico report having poorer health-related quality of life across various domains including mental and general health. Future studies should be conducted to determine which specific factors (e.g. lack of services, physical strain of providing care) are responsible for reduced health-related quality of life in these areas. It is likely that resources, such as respite services, adult day-care, aides, outpatient rehabilitation, psycho-educational programs, and support groups would increase health-related quality of life for these individuals.