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. 2017 May/Jun;32(3):178-184.
doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000266.

Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Medicare Beneficiaries After Traumatic Brain Injury

Jennifer S Albrecht  1 , Matthew E Peters, Gordon S Smith, Vani Rao
Affiliations

Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Medicare Beneficiaries After Traumatic Brain Injury

Jennifer S Albrecht et al. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2017 May/Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate rates of anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses after traumatic brain injury (TBI) among Medicare beneficiaries, quantify the increase in rates relative to the pre-TBI period, and identify risk factors for diagnosis of anxiety and PTSD.

Participants: A total of 96 881 Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with TBI between June 1, 2006 and May 31, 2010.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Measures: Diagnosis of anxiety (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM] codes 300.0x) and/or PTSD (ICD-9-CM code 309.81).

Results: After TBI, 16 519 (17%) beneficiaries were diagnosed with anxiety and 269 (0.3%) were diagnosed with PTSD. Rates of anxiety and PTSD diagnoses were highest in the first 5 months post-TBI and decreased over time. Pre-TBI diagnosis of anxiety disorder was significantly associated with post-TBI anxiety (risk ratio, 3.55; 95% confidence interval, 3.42-3.68) and pre-TBI diagnosis of PTSD was significantly associated with post-TBI PTSD (risk ratio 70.09; 95% confidence interval 56.29-111.12).

Conclusion: This study highlights the increased risk of anxiety and PTSD after TBI. Routine screening for anxiety and PTSD, especially during the first 5 months after TBI, may help clinicians identify these important and treatable conditions, especially among patients with a history of psychiatric illness.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Annualized Rates of Anxiety Diagnosis among Medicare Beneficiaries During the Year Following Hospitalization for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Stratified by pre-TBI Diagnosis of Anxiety
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Annualized Rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Diagnosis among Medicare Beneficiaries During the Year Following Hospitalization for Traumatic Brain Injury
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Annualized Rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Diagnosis among Medicare Beneficiaries During the Year Following Hospitalization for Traumatic Brain Injury
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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