This study explores head injuries (also known as traumatic brain injuries or TBI) in adults and the common health outcomes following head injuries. Head injuries are very common in the UK and across the globe, but in many cases when people have had a head injury, they may not seek medical attention even if they start to feel symptoms later on. We are interested in how many people have experienced some sort of head injury in the past and the details surrounding them. We are looking to explore the common symptoms and health effects that people have ended up with after a head injury, especially in people living with disabilities as this is a group that has not yet been looked at in previous studies.
Who can take part?
You can take part if you belong to any of the groups listed above, and:
- are aged 18 or over
- are a UK resident
- have no problems with literacy or fluency in English
- are able to provide informed consent to take part in this research
What will taking part involve?
You will be asked to anonymously complete an online survey that may take approximately 30 minutes. The survey will contain some brief questions that ask about your background, your mental health, sleep, and behaviours. You do not need to provide an answer for every question, and you’ll have the option to select ‘Prefer not to say’.
If you would like to take part but have issues using a device to complete the survey online, we can offer to carry out the survey over the telephone with you. Information materials and the survey can also be made available in large print on paper and sent to you. Please contact the lead researcher (details below) for these.
We take great care to protect your confidentiality. For more information about how we protect the information you give us, please read the participant information sheet (below) and our privacy notice.
Who approved this study?
This research project has been reviewed and approved by the Northumbria University Ethics Panel (approval date 4/4/2023, project number 3726).
Who is carrying out the study?
The research is carried out by BRAVO VICTOR. The lead researcher on this study is Syeda Hussain. Researchers at The Disability Trust and Monash University have been involved in the survey design.
The study is related to our previous review of literature that indicated a gap in understanding how head injuries can affect people from different backgrounds. So, we would also like to understand if characteristics such as age, gender, military and occupational background play a role in the chances of having a head injury and the chances of having certain symptoms. This means that the study is open to adults from all backgrounds to enable us to explore any group differences. We are interested in understanding specifically the impact of head injuries on veterans and veterans living with disabilities, and in order to understand any differences that may be present in these groups compared to non-veterans, we are looking for as many people as possible to take part. We welcome participants who are:
· civilians (no military history at all, including no history of being a reservist)
· currently in the military or are veterans
· both people living with and people living without disabilities
· both people who have and have not had a head injury.
