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. 2014 Feb;23(1):119-27.
doi: 10.1007/s11136-013-0444-3. Epub 2013 Jun 6.

The association between motor vehicle injuries and health-related quality of life: a longitudinal study of a population-based sample in the United States

Suliman Alghnam  1 , Mari Palta, Patrick L Remington, John Mullahy, Maureen S Durkin
Affiliations

The association between motor vehicle injuries and health-related quality of life: a longitudinal study of a population-based sample in the United States

Suliman Alghnam et al. Qual Life Res. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: As many as 3 million US residents are injured in traffic-related incidents every year leaving many victims with disabling conditions. To date, limited numbers of studies have examined the effects of traffic-related injuries on self-reported health. This study aims to examine the association between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and traffic-related injuries longitudinally in a nationally representative sample of US adult population.

Methods/approach: This is a longitudinal study of adult participants (age ≥18) from seven panels (2000-2007) of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The dependent variables included the physical and mental components of the SF-12, a measure of self-reported health. The outcome was assessed twice during the follow-up period: round 2 (~4-5 months into the study) and round 4 (~18 months into the study) for 62,298 individuals. Two methods estimate the association between traffic-related injuries and HRQOL: a within person change using paired tests and a between person change using multivariable regression adjusting for age, sex, income and educational level.

Results: Nine hundred and ninety-three participants reported traffic-related injuries during the follow-up period. Compared to their pre-crash HRQOL, these participants lost 2.7 of the physical component score while their mental component did not change. Adjusted results showed significant deficits in the physical component (-2.84, p value = <.001) but not the mental component (-0.07, p value = .83) of HRQOL after controlling for potential confounders.

Conclusion: Traffic injuries were significantly associated with the physical component of HRQOL. These findings highlight the individual and societal burden associated with motor vehicle crash-related disability in the United States.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Classification of the comparison groups: MVC-injured and control group
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