Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Science

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Health Care Sciences – Health Science Department

First Advisor

Sarah Ransdell

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2021

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2021

Abstract

In the US, 2,000,000 pediatric outpatient visits and 3,000,000 emergency department (ED) visits are due to the presentation of mild traumatic brain injury (Lumba-Brown et al., 2018; Shah et al., 2020). Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion is a significant public health concern affecting tens of thousands of children, posing a public health burden due to symptoms that can last a lifetime. Some cases of mTBI can present with intracranial complications (cmTBI), which may include hemorrhage or hematoma. The lack of cmTBI risk prediction among a vulnerable adolescent population may potentially increase unmet healthcare needs. The purpose of this dissertation study is to investigate the unique predictor variables of cmTBI among additional factors, such as patient demographics, morbidity, mortality, comorbidity, and injury-related variables. A retrospective cross-sectional study was used to develop the conclusions of potential risks associated with cmTBI among an adolescent population in South Carolina. The dissertation was grounded in Andersen's Behavioral Model, a theoretical framework to aid in utilizing healthcare services. An NSU IRB and Hospital Corporation of America IRB exempt determination facilitated the extraction from prospectively collected Trauma Registry data of adolescent trauma patients (10-15 years) with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13-15 and a mechanical blow to the head. This dissertation study determined risk-related factors that could predict cmTBI among adolescent trauma patients presenting to the ED after mechanical head trauma. The conclusions could aid in risk-prediction scoring and process improvement to identify a population in need of follow-up healthcare services.

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

Concussion; Pediatrics; Trauma

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