Abstract
Objective: To describe the prevalence of communication disorders in veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Retrospective study of the prevalence of aphasia, fluency and voice disorders among veterans with different severity levels of TBI. Data was obtained from the VA National repository for OEF/OIF/OND veterans who received VA care in Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. Results: Among the 303716 veterans in this study, 1848 were diagnosed with a communication disorder; 40% of these were also diagnosed with a TBI. Voice disorders were the most prevalent diagnosis (3.5 per 1000) followed by aphasia (1.9 per 1000) and fluency disorder (0.7 per 1000). Individuals with a TBI diagnosis were more likely to have a diagnosis of aphasia, followed by fluency and then voice disorder. The odds ratio (OR) of aphasia with TBI was 11.09-252.75 (95% CI=8.78-441.52, p<0.01). OR for fluency disorders with TBI was 3.58-10.41 (95% CI=2.56-42.40, p<0.01) and association of voice disorders with TBI was significant for all levels of TBI severity (OR=1.5-6.61, 95% CI=1.24-14.05, p<0.01). Conclusions: Veterans who sustained a TBI were more likely to have a diagnosis of a communication disorder, regardless of TBI severity. Those with TBI, including mild TBI, should be screened and evaluated for communication disorders.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1623-1630 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Brain Injury |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 13-14 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2013 |
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Keywords
- Aphasia
- Epidemiology
- Fluency disorder
- TBI severity
- Veterans Health Administration
- Voice disorder
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
Cite this
Traumatic brain injury in veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan : Communication disorders stratified by severity of brain injury. / Norman, Rocío S.; Jaramillo, Carlos A.; Amuan, Megan; Wells, Margaret Ann; Eapen, Blessen C.; Pugh, Mary Jo.
In: Brain Injury, Vol. 27, No. 13-14, 2013, p. 1623-1630.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Traumatic brain injury in veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
T2 - Communication disorders stratified by severity of brain injury
AU - Norman, Rocío S.
AU - Jaramillo, Carlos A.
AU - Amuan, Megan
AU - Wells, Margaret Ann
AU - Eapen, Blessen C.
AU - Pugh, Mary Jo
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Objective: To describe the prevalence of communication disorders in veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Retrospective study of the prevalence of aphasia, fluency and voice disorders among veterans with different severity levels of TBI. Data was obtained from the VA National repository for OEF/OIF/OND veterans who received VA care in Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. Results: Among the 303716 veterans in this study, 1848 were diagnosed with a communication disorder; 40% of these were also diagnosed with a TBI. Voice disorders were the most prevalent diagnosis (3.5 per 1000) followed by aphasia (1.9 per 1000) and fluency disorder (0.7 per 1000). Individuals with a TBI diagnosis were more likely to have a diagnosis of aphasia, followed by fluency and then voice disorder. The odds ratio (OR) of aphasia with TBI was 11.09-252.75 (95% CI=8.78-441.52, p<0.01). OR for fluency disorders with TBI was 3.58-10.41 (95% CI=2.56-42.40, p<0.01) and association of voice disorders with TBI was significant for all levels of TBI severity (OR=1.5-6.61, 95% CI=1.24-14.05, p<0.01). Conclusions: Veterans who sustained a TBI were more likely to have a diagnosis of a communication disorder, regardless of TBI severity. Those with TBI, including mild TBI, should be screened and evaluated for communication disorders.
AB - Objective: To describe the prevalence of communication disorders in veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Retrospective study of the prevalence of aphasia, fluency and voice disorders among veterans with different severity levels of TBI. Data was obtained from the VA National repository for OEF/OIF/OND veterans who received VA care in Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011. Results: Among the 303716 veterans in this study, 1848 were diagnosed with a communication disorder; 40% of these were also diagnosed with a TBI. Voice disorders were the most prevalent diagnosis (3.5 per 1000) followed by aphasia (1.9 per 1000) and fluency disorder (0.7 per 1000). Individuals with a TBI diagnosis were more likely to have a diagnosis of aphasia, followed by fluency and then voice disorder. The odds ratio (OR) of aphasia with TBI was 11.09-252.75 (95% CI=8.78-441.52, p<0.01). OR for fluency disorders with TBI was 3.58-10.41 (95% CI=2.56-42.40, p<0.01) and association of voice disorders with TBI was significant for all levels of TBI severity (OR=1.5-6.61, 95% CI=1.24-14.05, p<0.01). Conclusions: Veterans who sustained a TBI were more likely to have a diagnosis of a communication disorder, regardless of TBI severity. Those with TBI, including mild TBI, should be screened and evaluated for communication disorders.
KW - Aphasia
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Fluency disorder
KW - TBI severity
KW - Veterans Health Administration
KW - Voice disorder
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84888865430&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84888865430&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3109/02699052.2013.834380
DO - 10.3109/02699052.2013.834380
M3 - Article
C2 - 24131337
AN - SCOPUS:84888865430
VL - 27
SP - 1623
EP - 1630
JO - Brain Injury
JF - Brain Injury
SN - 0269-9052
IS - 13-14
ER -