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Brain Impairment Brain Impairment Society
Journal of the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment

Brain Impairment

Brain Impairment

Brain Impairment addresses topics related to the aetiology, epidemiology, treatment and outcomes of brain impairment with a particular focus on the implications for functional status, participation, rehabilitation and quality of life. Read more about the journalMore.

Editors-in-ChiefJennifer Fleming and Grahame Simpson

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available.

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Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Brain Impairment is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Published online 05 December 2024

IB24025Depression and anxiety at 1- and 12-months post ischemic stroke: methods for examining individual change over time

Suzanne Barker-Collo 0000-0002-8659-0202, Rita Krishnamurthi, Balakrishnan Nair, Anna Ranta, Jeroen Douwes and Valery Feigin
 

Study of mood after stroke often focuses on depression; however, anxiety is also common. Here, we found that of those with ischemic stroke about 13% had anxiety, 3.7–4.5% had depression and 8–10% had both at 1- and 12-months after stroke. Most of those with anxiety at 12-months had neither depression nor anxiety at 1 month.

Published online 03 December 2024

IB24021Falls on an inpatient brain injury rehabilitation unit … What are the consequences?

Kathryn Marshall 0000-0001-6971-1773, Janelle Griffin, Joshua Knowles, Shannon Galletly, Freyr Patterson and Ryan Bell
 

Falls in hospital can have impacts on individuals and the entire health system. For people with a brain injury, falls can be particularly harmful with over half of people who fall in hospital experiencing some harm. Falls prevention needs to not only focus on the prevention of falls but also on harm minimisation.

Published online 03 December 2024

IB24035Association between adequate protein intake and quadriceps quantity and quality during rehabilitation in people with subacute stroke

Shu Tanaka 0000-0003-3167-7279, Mizue Suzuki, Yosuke Kimura, Shingo Koyama, Hiroaki Masuda, Iwao Kojima, Katsumi Suzukawa, Kenichiro Takasugi and Minoru Yamada
 

We investigated the association between protein intake and quadriceps quantity and quality on the paretic and non-paretic sides during rehabilitation in people with subacute stroke. The adequate protein intake group showed significantly greater improvements in paretic-side quadriceps muscle quantity. Conversely, no differences in quadriceps quantity on the non-paretic side and quadriceps quality on both sides were observed between the adequate and inadequate protein intake groups.

Published online 11 November 2024

IB24008Feasibility of accelerometry in a self-directed upper limb activity program of a subacute setting with stroke survivors

Tamara Tse 0000-0002-7136-5037, Yvonne Y. K. Mak-Yuen, Wesley Young and Susan Darzins 0000-0003-1852-3566
 

Wearable devices, such as accelerometers, offer new ways to assess arm movement in individuals recovering from a stroke. This study, conducted with 12 stroke survivors, aimed to investigate the practicality, acceptability, and limited effectiveness of using accelerometers in a self-directed arm rehabilitation program. While most participants found the wearable devices feasible, one-third reported discomfort, suggesting the need to consider this aspect in planning future studies.

Published online 29 October 2024

IB24098Editorial: Clinical implementation to optimise outcomes for people with brain conditions

Dana Wong 0000-0001-9619-1929, Sharon Kramer and Natasha Lannin 0000-0002-2066-8345
 

This Editorial introduces the Collection on Clinical Implementation to Optimise Outcomes. It describes common issues in implementation research and how the papers in the special collection address these. The content and key messages from the papers are described, and an overview of relevant implementation theories and frameworks is provided. It finishes with a call to action for researchers, clinicians and policymakers.

This article belongs to the Collection Clinical Implementation to Optimise Outcomes.

Published online 24 October 2024

IB24034Use of the Fatigue Severity Scale to assess clinically reliable temporal changes in post-stroke fatigue by stroke type and subtype

Suzanne Barker-Collo 0000-0002-8659-0202, Rita Krishnamurthi, Valery Feigin, Balakrishnan Nair, Alan Barber, Amanda G. Thrift, Anna Ranta, Derrick Bennett, Jeroen Douwes, El-Shadan Tautolo, Dominique A. Cadilhac, Varsha Parag and Bruce Arroll
 

Fatigue is a major disabling condition and a substantial barrier to engaging in rehabilitation and other activities that improve quality of life after stroke. Here we present cut-off scores clinicians could use to determine if an individual patient has had a clinically reliable increase, decrease or no reliable change in fatigue scores using the Fatigue Severity Scale. These scores are provided on the basis of a large sample (n = 338) and presented by stroke type and ischaemic stroke subtypes.

Published online 22 October 2024

IB23129Perceptions and experiences of health professionals when supporting adults with stroke to engage in physical activity

A. Pepar, N. Mahendran 0000-0002-0291-4610, E. Preston and R. Keegan
 

This study provides an exploration of the perspectives of health professionals on supporting people with stroke to increase their physical activity. It highlights that physical activity is a complex goal for people with stroke requiring tailored solutions in a resource-constrained health system. Clearly defined roles, pathways for people with stroke to access routine support, funding for staff time and capacity-building initiatives targeting healthcare providers’ self-efficacy may enable health professionals to facilitate post-stroke physical activity.

Published online 01 October 2024

IB23116Health literacy after traumatic brain injury: characterisation and control comparison

Amelia J. Hicks 0000-0002-1152-0576, Angelle M. Sander, Dean P. McKenzie, Sarah Carrier, Elinor Fraser, Bronwyn Hall, Monique R. Pappadis and Jennie L. Ponsford
 

Little is known about health literacy in TBI survivors. We examined health literacy in a large cohort (n = 209) of individuals with a single complicated mild to severe TBI at least 1 year previously (up to 30 years 6 months) and compared data with a control group. Health literacy performance in individuals with TBI was not significantly different from that of controls, using the Health LiTT-SF measure. This may be partly due to the comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation received and critical cognitive reserve from high premorbid education.

Published online 24 September 2024

IB24014Spanish translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Box and Block Test: a pilot study in adults with chronic acquired brain injury

María-Paula Noce, Desirée Valera-Gran 0000-0001-6388-127X, Miriam Hurtado-Pomares, Encarni Serrano-Reina, Carlos Soler-Pons and Eva-María Navarrete-Muñoz
 

This study aimed to adapt the Box and Block Test (BBT) for Spanish-speaking survivors of acquired brain injury (ABI). Through a pilot study with 14 participants, the Spanish BBT, incorporating additional materials and revised terminology, was found to be suitable for evaluating upper limb motor function. These findings provide valuable insights for rehabilitation professionals working with Spanish-speaking individuals affected by ABI.

Published online 16 September 2024

IB23124The effect of cranioplasty on outcomes and complications of unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and minimally responsive state

Elena Aidinoff 0009-0005-0673-1554, Hiela Lehrer, Ilana Gelernter, Ilil Dayan, Adi Kfir, Lilach Front, Ana Oksamitny and Amiram Catz
 

Certain patients with reduced consciousness undergo an operation to remove a portion of the skull to relieve intracranial pressure. This study compared the outcomes of such patients with those of similar patients who later underwent an additional operation to repair the skull. The second operation, which restores cosmesis and has other advantages, did not decrease consciousness recovery or survival and did not increase the risk of complications; therefore, we concluded that it can be offered to these patients.

Published online 02 September 2024

IB23058The development of a cognitive screening protocol for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples: the Guddi Way screen

Michelle McIntyre 0000-0002-3827-2875, Jennifer Cullen, Caoilfionn Turner, India Bohanna, Ali Lakhini and Kylie Rixon
 

Despite the high risk of cognitive impairment in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally sensitive and culturally appropriate methods for identifying cognitive problems are lacking. This paper reports on the development of the Guddi Way screen, which was designed to bridge this gap, and provide an appropriate cognitive screen and interview protocol that can be administered by laypersons with training. This is an important development for human services organisations who support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.

Published online 29 August 2024

IB23105Applying implementation science theories to support practice change in the assessment of cognition by occupational therapists

Jacqueline Wheatcroft 0000-0001-8071-7906, Rebecca J. Nicks, Laura Jolliffe, Danielle Sansonetti, Carolyn Unsworth and Natasha A. Lannin 0000-0002-2066-8345
 

Selecting and completing cognitive assessments is a crucial but challenging part of an occupational therapist’s role. Surveys and focus groups were completed based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Behaviour model (COM-B) to identify barriers to evidence-based cognitive assessment in the hospital setting. Subsequently, barriers were mapped to Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) interventions, which increased occupational therapists’ confidence in completing cognitive assessments.

This article belongs to the Collection Clinical Implementation to Optimise Outcomes.

Published online 02 August 2024

IB23102Using the Knowledge to Action framework to improve housing and support for people with Multiple Sclerosis

Lee Cubis 0000-0002-4136-2185, Sharyn McDonald 0000-0002-6534-4088, Pamela Dean, Robin Ramme, Kate D’Cruz 0000-0002-5155-1350, Megan Topping 0000-0001-6008-7943, Fiona Fisher, Di Winkler 0000-0003-3899-6248 and Jacinta Douglas 0000-0003-0940-6624
 

This study explores the housing and support needs of individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to enhance their independence at home, aiming to guide the development of community living options. It was found that participants commonly required home modifications, assistive technology, and substantial daily support. The findings underscore the importance of proactive funding, tailored housing design, and responsive support services, advocating for a co-designed intervention involving individuals with MS and stakeholders to enhance policy and improve living outcomes.

This article belongs to the Collection Clinical Implementation to Optimise Outcomes.

Published online 28 June 2024

IB23059Characterisation of young stroke presentations, pathways of care, and support for ‘invisible’ difficulties: a retrospective clinical audit study

Michaela Grech 0000-0003-1291-8313, Toni Withiel 0000-0001-8075-2760, Marlena Klaic 0000-0003-2328-0503, Caroline A. Fisher 0000-0002-4570-8526, Leonie Simpson and Dana Wong 0000-0001-9619-1929
 

Young stroke survivors tend to be discharged from acute hospital care without rehabilitation, but it is unclear why. Younger patients presented with more unusual and less severe stroke aetiologies than their older counterparts, and therefore were often discharged without rehabilitation. However, young survivors presented with medical and cognitive needs that were not consistently met by post-acute care pathways. The findings highlight the need for increased attention to, and tailored post-care pathways, addressing cognitive and psychosocial needs of young survivors.

Just Accepted

These articles have been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. They are still in production and have not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Most Read

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Collections

Collections are a curation of articles relevant to a topical research area

Research has shown it may take ~15 years for evidence to have an impact on clinical practice. Brain injury clinicians can actively contribute to closing this gap by providing invaluable insights into potential challenges faced and ensuring that the design and implementation approaches address organisational context. This collection of papers outlines the processes, frameworks, barriers, and facilitators of effective clinical implementation. They showcase high-quality examples of clinical implementation projects in a range of populations, settings, and cultures across the lifespan.

The papers in this collection are free to read for three months, from 29 October 2024.

Collection Editors
Dana Wong (LaTrobe University, Australia)
Natasha Lannin (Monash University, Australia)
Sharon Kramer (Monash University, Australia)

Last Updated: 29 Oct 2024

Committee on Publication Ethics

Call for Papers

We are seeking contributions for Special Collections. Read more on this collection.

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