Epidemiology of Head Injury and Associations with Clinical and Neuropsychological Outcomes in Older American Indians: Strong Heart Study Data
This epidemiological study examined head injury prevalence and outcomes in 818 older American Indians (mean age 73) from the Strong Heart Study, finding 40% reported prior head injury with 4-6% experiencing loss of consciousness exceeding 20 minutes. Those with previous head injury demonstrated significantly worse depressive symptoms, quality of life, fatigue, and social functioning compared to those without injury history, with male sex and prior stroke identified as independent risk factors.