Affiliations: [a]
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| [b]
The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| [c]
The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| [d]
The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Betony Clasby, Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. Tel.: +61 114 222 6439; E-mail: betony.clasby@mcri.edu.au.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Chronic impairment following childhood traumatic brain injury has the potential to increase risk of negative outcomes. This highlights potential value in community-based rehabilitation programs. OBJECTIVES:To identify research studies examining existing intervention programmes available in community-based rehabilitation to adolescents following TBI to assist with the transition back into the community. METHODS:A systematic review of community-based interventions was conducted across different national contexts. All included studies involved a clinical population with TBI, aged 11 to 25 years inclusive. Risk of bias was rated for each included study. RESULTS:Seventeen studies were identified for inclusion in the review, of these eleven distinct interventions were found. The quality of evidence was largely weak and highly variable. CONCLUSION:The results suggest some improvement in adolescent outcomes following community-based interventions, however higher quality evidence is needed to support specific interventions.
