Jones, KellyMalcolm, Wanda2014-04-072014-04-07201320142013https://hdl.handle.net/10292/7066Background: Following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) adults can experience persistent and often unexplained difficulties following injury, including depression. However little is known about the impact of prior depression on mental health difficulties after the injury. Aims: The present study aims to improve understanding of the associations between pre-injury characteristics (specifically prior depression) and post injury depression and well-being. Study design: Prospective, population-based, longitudinal study. Participants: The study consists of two groups of adults with mTBI, identified as part of the Brain Injury Outcomes New Zealand in the Community (BIONIC) study. The first group consists of adults with a self-reported history of depression prior to their injury (N=84). The second group includes 84 randomly selected adults who had not experienced depression prior to injury. Results: Compared to adults without prior history of depression, those who had experienced depression prior to injury had significantly higher mean levels of depression six months following injury. Adults with prior depression also had higher mean levels of anxiety six months post-injury and were more likely to relive aspects of the traumatic event. Posttraumatic stress symptoms including arousal, avoidance, onset, and distress at six months after injury were similar across both study groups. Discussion: Study findings highlight links between a history of depression and adult mental health and well-being at six months following mTBI. Theses emotional changes can affect a person after mTBI for the remainder of their life. Therefore, this information will assist in the identification of adults who may be at increased risk for poor mental health after injury and who may benefit from the targeted delivery of treatments aimed at reducing risk of depression and enhancing mental health outcomes following mTBI.enMild traumatic brain injuryDepressionThesisOpenAccess2014-04-07