Biopsychosocial factors of quality of life in individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury: a scoping review

Abstract

Purpose: Individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience changes in their quality-of-life (QOL) post-injury. Given the vast literature that exists about QOL after TBI, a scoping review was performed to identify the different biopsychosocial factors that affect a person’s QOL after a moderate to severe TBI. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO. Terms relating to TBI and QOL were used. Results: There were 7576 articles obtained from the databases, resulting in 535 full-text articles. Ultimately, 52 articles were extracted, which consisted of biopsychosocial QOL factors after TBI. The biopsychosocial factors of QOL after TBI included 19 biological factors (i.e., sex, TBI severity, cognition), 16 psychological factors (i.e., depression, self-efficacy, coping styles), and 19 social factors (i.e., employment, social participation, social support). Factors such as fatigue, self-awareness, transition, and discharge from hospitals are known issues in TBI literature but were minimally reported in studies in this review, identifying them as potential gaps in research. Conclusion: Identifying biopsychosocial factors relating to QOL after TBI can enable health services to develop targeted rehabilitation programs for individuals with TBI.