Family needs after brain injury: A cross cultural study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Norup, Anne^a | Perrin, Paul B.^b | Cuberos-Urbano, Gustavoⁱ | Anke, Audny^{d; e} | Andelic, Nada^{f; h} | Doyle, Sarah T.^b | Cristina Quijano, Maria^g | Caracuel, Alfonso^c | Mar, Dulce | Guadalupe Espinosa Jove, Irma^k | Carlos Arango-Lasprilla, Juan^{l; *}

Affiliations: [a] RUBRIC Research Unit on Brain Injury Rehabilitation Copenhagen, Department of Neurorehabilitation, Traumatic Brain Injury Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark | [b] Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA | [c] Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology-Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Granada, Spain | [d] Department of Rehabilitation, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway | [e] Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, University Tromso, Norway | [f] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway | [g] Javeriana University, Cali, Colombia | [h] Institute of Health and Society, CHARM (Research Centre for Habilitation and Rehabilitation Models and Services), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway | [i] Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, University of Granada, Granada, Spain | [j] Department of Psychology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México | [k] Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación de México, México City, México | [l] IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla, Ph.D, IKERBASQUE Research Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Deusto, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain. Tel.: +34 9441390 03/3261; jcarango@deusto.es

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore differences by country in the importance of family needs after traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as differences in met/unmet needs. METHOD: Two hundred and seventy-one family members of an individual with TBI in Mexico, Colombia, Spain, Denmark, and Norway completed the Family Needs Questionnaire. RESULTS: Eight of the ten needs rated as most important globally were from the Health Information subscale. Importance ratings on the Health Information, Professional Support, and Involvement With Care subscales were similar across countries, but Mexican family members rated Instrumental Support needs as less important than Colombian, Spanish, and Danish family members, and also rated their Community Support needs as less important than Danish and Spanish family members. Mexican family member’s rated emotional support needs as less important than Colombian, Spanish, and Danish family members. Globally, the needs rated as most often met were from the Health Information subscale, and the most unmet needs were from the Emotional Support subscale. CONCLUSION: Despite some similarities across countries several differences were identified, and these can help professionals to provide more culturally appropriate rehabilitation services for family members in order to improve informal care for TBI.

Keywords: Traumatic brain injury, caregivers, family needs, cultural differences, global regions

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-151208

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 203-214, 2015