Needs for Community-Based Rehabilitation Services and Support 12 Months After Moderate and Severe Physical Traumatic Injuries: A Brief Report

Patients with physical traumatic injuries frequently require long-term rehabilitation services. To strengthen rehabilitation services in the postacute phase, we need to assess characteristics of this population and their healthcare and rehabilitation needs in the community. This brief report summarizes the frequency of unmet rehabilitation needs in community-based rehabilitation during the first year after moderate and severe trauma. Additionally, the associations between sociodemographic, injury severity factors and unmet needs were examined. Data from a prospective multicenter cohort study of patients with moderate and severe trauma (New Injury Severity Score > 9) of all ages, discharged alive from two regional trauma centers in 2020 were used. Needs were estimated using the Needs and Provision Complexity Scale. Overall, 46% of patients had unmet needs at 12-mo postinjury, particularly related to the provision of rehabilitation services, specialist follow-ups, and social and family support. The probability of unmet needs was associated with age, preinjury comorbidities, and impaired functioning. Our findings support strategies targeting younger patients, those with preinjury comorbidities, and those with higher levels of disability and provide a starting point for the development of standardized rehabilitation needs assessment and guidelines after injury.