Evaluation of clinical outcomes and employment status in veterans with dual diagnosis of traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury.

PURPOSE: To examine clinical outcomes and employment status in Veterans with and without a dual diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined a national sample of Veterans enrolled in the VA Million Veteran Program who completed the Comprehensive TBI Evaluation (CTBIE) as part of the Veterans Health Administration's TBI Screening and Evaluation Program. Veterans (N = 12,985) were classified into the following TBI/SCI groups using CTBIE data: those with a dual diagnosis of TBI and SCI (TBI+/SCI+); those with a history of TBI but no SCI (TBI+/SCI-); and those with no history of TBI or SCI (TBI-/SCI-; i.e., the control group). CTBIE-derived outcomes included neurobehavioral symptoms, comorbid psychiatric symptoms, pain and pain interference, and employment status. RESULTS: Chi-square analyses showed significant associations between TBI/SCI group and all clinical outcomes evaluated (all p's < .001; V = 0.07-0.11). In general, the TBI+/SCI+ and TBI +/SCI- groups endorsed comparable levels of neurobehavioral symptoms, psychiatric symptoms, and pain, but significantly greater rates of symptoms and pain relative to the TBI-/SCI- group. Effect sizes for all pairwise comparisons were small (φ = 0.01-0.11). Finally, there was no significant association between TBI/SCI group and employment status (p = .170; V = 0.02), with all three groups showing relatively comparable rates of unemployment. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of SCI status, Veterans with TBI history endorsed poorer clinical outcomes than Veterans without TBI and SCI. However, rates of unemployment were similarly high across all three groups. Findings suggest that any Veteran completing the CTBIE may be at risk for poor clinical and employment outcomes.

Difficulty Obtaining Daily Necessities and Difficulty Obtaining SCI Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among People With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the self-reported difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), and to identify the factors measured prior the pandemic that predict the number of difficulties obtaining daily necessities and difficulties obtaining SCI services during the pandemic. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: A state SCI outcomes follow-up database in the southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: 297 participants (N=297) met the following eligibility criteria: (1) ≥18 years of age, (2) traumatic SCI, (3) minimum of 1-year post-injury, and (4) having completed a longitudinal study questionnaire immediately prior to the pandemic (between 12/1/2019 and 03/11/2020). INTERVENTIONS: N/A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The outcome measures were the self-reported number of difficulties obtaining daily necessities (difficulties to get food, medication, and routine medical/dental care) and difficulties obtaining SCI services during the pandemic (difficulties to get treatment for SCI-related problems, to maintain regular SCI equipment, and to get SCI supplies). RESULTS: Among 297 eligible participants, 247 (83%) have completed the follow-up during the pandemic between December 2020 and December 2021. There were 22% participants having at least 1 difficulty obtaining daily necessities and 19% participants having at least 1 difficulty obtaining SCI services. Younger, ambulatory participants, cervical 1-4 injury level, lower household income, more health conditions, and no routine health care access prior to the pandemic were associated with greater number of difficulties obtaining daily necessities. Women, non-ambulatory participants, marital relation, having need for physical assistance, more health conditions, and no routine health care access prior to the pandemic related to greater number of difficulties obtaining SCI services. CONCLUSIONS: People with SCI have experienced living difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular importance, no routine health care access and more health conditions are related to more difficulties obtaining both daily necessities and SCI services after controlling the socio-demographics and injury characteristics.

Relationships of Self-reported Opioid Use and Misuse and Pain Severity With Probable Major Depression Among Participants With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relations of pain intensity, opioid use, and opioid misuse with depressive symptom severity and probable major depression (PMD) among participants with spinal cord injuries (SCI), controlling for demographic, injury, and socioeconomic characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Medical University in the Southeastern United States (US). PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=918) were identified from 1 of 2 sources including a specialty hospital and a state-based surveillance system in the Southeastern US. Participants were a minimum of 18 years old at enrollment and had SCI with non-complete recovery. Participants were on average 57.5 years old at the time of the study and an average of 24.4 years post SCI onset. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed a self-report assessment that included frequency of prescription opioid use and misuse, based on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the PHQ - 9 to measure depressive symptom severity and PMD. RESULTS: Opioid use, opioid misuse, and pain intensity were related to elevated depressive symptom severity and higher odds of PMD. Non-Hispanic Blacks had fewer depressive symptoms and lower odds of PMD, as did those with higher incomes. Veterans had lower risk of PMD, whereas ambulatory participants had a higher risk of PMD. Age at SCI onset had a mixed pattern of significance, whereas years of education and years since injury were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The relation between pain intensity with depressive symptom severity and PMD was profound, consistent with the biopsychosocial model of pain. The greater risk of PMD and higher depressive symptom severity among those using opioids and misusing opioids raises further concern about long-term prescription opioid use. Alternative treatments are needed.

Life Satisfaction in Individuals With Long-Term Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: An Investigation of Associated Biopsychosocial Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate relationships between self-reported biological, psychological, and social factors and global, vocational, and home life satisfaction in individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) an average of more than 30 years postinjury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analyses of self-report assessment data. SETTING: Specialty and university hospitals in the southeastern and midwestern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with a history of traumatic SCI (n=546) who responded to the most recent data collection period of the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study (2018-2019) and who were at least 2 years postinjury and at least 18 years or older at initial study enrollment. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Global life satisfaction, home life satisfaction, and vocational life satisfaction as measured by the Life Situation Questionnaire-Revised. RESULTS: Taken together, the biopsychosocial variables explained 55.1% of the variance in global life satisfaction. Less severe depressive symptoms, greater emotional social support, and greater instrumental social support were significantly associated with greater global life satisfaction. Together, the independent variables explained 50.7% of the variance in home life satisfaction. Being in a relationship, having less severe depressive symptoms, having greater emotional social support, and having greater instrumental social support were significantly associated with home life satisfaction. Together, the independent variables explained 44.8% of the variance in vocational satisfaction. Being White, non-Hispanic, having more years of education, being in a relationship, having less severe depressive symptoms, and having greater emotional social support were significantly associated with greater vocational satisfaction. CONCLUSION: These results support the need to assess psychological symptoms and available social support as potential modifiable factors related to several domains of life satisfaction in this aging population. Improving psychological symptoms and strengthening available social support may relate to improved life satisfaction.

Mediating Effects of Pain Interference on the Relationships Between Pain Intensity and Probable Major Depression Among Participants With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether pain interference mediates the relationship between pain intensity and probable major depression (PMD) among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), accounting for differences in the frequency of prescription medication use and resilience. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis using self-report assessment. SETTING: Medical university in the Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: There were a total of 4670 participants (N=4670), all of whom had traumatic SCI of at least 1-year duration, identified from the Southeastern Regional SCI Model System and 2 state-based surveillance systems. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to define PMD. Covariates included demographic and injury characteristics, pain severity, pain interference, and resilience. Separate sets of multistage logistic regression analyses were conducted for 3 levels of prescription pain medication use (daily, occasional/weekly, none). RESULTS: Pain intensity was related to a greater risk of PMD (odds ratio [OR]daily pain medication user, 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.35; ORoccasional/weekly pain medication user, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.16-1.36; ORnonpain medication user, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.33-1.56), but this relationship disappeared after consideration of pain interference (ORdaily pain medication user, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90-1.04; ORoccasional/weekly pain medication user, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.84-1.05; ORnonpain medication user, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.95-1.20), which indicates pain interference was a mediator between pain intensity and PMD and there was no direct relationship between pain intensity and PMD. Resilience was protective of PMD in each model but was not a mediator. CONCLUSIONS: Although pain intensity was associated with PMD, the relationship was mediated by pain interference. Resilience was an important protective factor. Therefore, clinicians should assess pain interference when screening for PMD and direct treatment at reducing pain interference. Building resilience may further reduce the risk of PMD.

Neuropsychological Performance and Functional Capacity Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Veterans.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between neuropsychological functioning and performance-based functional capacity in veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), as well as the moderating effects of age and psychiatric symptoms on this relationship. SETTING: Three Veterans Affairs medical centers. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred nineteen Iraq/Afghanistan veterans with a history of mTBI and self-reported cognitive difficulties. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, secondary data analysis of baseline measures in a randomized controlled trial. MAIN MEASURES: The main outcome measure, functional capacity, was assessed using the objective and performance-based University of California San Diego Performance-based Skills Assessment-Brief. A global deficit score (GDS) was created as a composite score for performance on a battery of neuropsychological measures assessing domains of attention, processing speed, executive functioning, and verbal memory performance. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity was assessed using the PTSD Checklist-Military Version, and depressive symptom severity was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition. RESULTS: Bivariate analyses indicated that worse neuropsychological performance (ie, higher GDS) and greater PTSD symptom severity were associated with worse communication abilities and worse overall functional capacity. Multiple linear regressions demonstrated that GDS and PTSD symptom severity explained 9% of the variance in communication and 10% of the variance in overall functional capacity; however, GDS emerged as the only significant predictor in both regressions. Age, PTSD, and depressive symptom severity did not moderate the relationship between GDS and overall functional capacity. Performance in the verbal learning and memory domain emerged as the strongest neuropsychological predictor of communication and overall functional capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Worse neuropsychological functioning was moderately associated with worse performance-based functional capacity, even when accounting for PTSD symptom severity. Verbal learning and memory was the primary neuropsychological domain driving the relationship with functional capacity; improvement in verbal learning and memory may translate into improved functional capacity.

Twenty-Five-Year Cross-sequential Analysis of Self-reported Problems: Findings From 5 Cohorts From the Spinal Cord Injury Longitudinal Aging Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how self-reported problems change over time among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Cross-sequential analysis. SETTING: Medical university in the Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 1997 individuals with traumatic SCI of at least 1-year duration who were identified from participation in the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study from 1993-2018. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes analyzed were 6 problem factors defined as health, social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, money, and lack of opportunities. A series of cross-sequential models, using PROC MIXED procedure, were developed to evaluate the initial and change of the 6 problem factors over the 6 times of measurements in 25 years. RESULTS: Years post injury was negatively associated with initial status of problems of social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, and lack of opportunities because participants with more years post injury at baseline reported lower scores on each factor. Longitudinally, with increased years post injury, higher scores were observed on the health problem factor. However, problems of social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, money, and lack of opportunities decreased over time with increasing years post injury. CONCLUSIONS: Participants had more health problems with increasing years after SCI, but fewer problems of social isolation, emotional distress, environmental barriers, money, and lack of opportunities.

Predictors of Intervention Adherence in Compensatory Cognitive Training for Veterans With a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine modifiable predictors of intervention adherence in a study of group-based Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) for Iraq/Afghanistan War veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). METHODS: One hundred twenty-three veterans enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of a 10-week CCT intervention (54 assigned to CCT) and were evaluated at baseline, 5 weeks, 10 weeks, and 15 weeks. CCT adherence was determined by the number of CCT sessions attended, with more sessions indicative of greater adherence. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, and subjective and objective neuropsychological performance, were examined in relation to CCT session attendance. RESULTS: Older age and worse attention performance at baseline were associated with higher CCT attendance rates. CONCLUSIONS: This study generates preliminary evidence for potential modifiable neuropsychological factors that may improve engagement in CCT interventions.

Aspects of Executive Dysfunction and Racial/Ethnic Minority Status Are Associated With Unemployment Duration in Veterans With a History of Mild-to-Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine demographic, psychiatric symptom, and neuropsychological performance factors associated with duration of unemployment in Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans with a history of mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional, secondary data analysis of baseline measures in a supported employment study. SETTING: VA medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=50) were veterans with a history of mild-to-moderate TBI who were unemployed, stating a goal of returning to work, and had documented impairment in at least 1 neuropsychological domain. Participants were referred from VA vocational and assessment-based clinics. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Duration of unemployment, neuropsychological, and psychiatric symptom assessments. RESULTS: Bivariate correlations revealed that longer duration of unemployment was associated with greater posttraumatic stress disorder (P<.10) and depressive (P<.05) symptom severity, worse executive functioning (P<.05), and racial/ethnic minority status (P<.05). A multiple linear regression analysis including these independent variables explained 26.5% of the variance in duration of unemployment. Worse executive functioning, specifically reasoning and set-shifting, and minority status were each associated with longer duration of unemployment in the context of multiple independent variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our results underscore the importance of objective assessment of cognitive functioning in job-seeking Veterans with TBI histories. It may be useful to target aspects of executive functioning in vocational rehabilitation interventions and to provide additional assistance to Veterans from racial/ethnic minority groups.

Trends in nonroutine physician visits and hospitalizations: findings among five cohorts from the Spinal Cord Injury Longitudinal Aging Study.

STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lifetime variation in healthcare utilization among individuals with a chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Medical university in the Southeastern United States (US). METHODS: Participants were identified from two Midwestern University hospitals and a specialty hospital in the Southeastern US and were enrolled in 1973-1974, 1984-1985, 1993-1994, and 2003-2004. Generalized linear mixed models were used to explore changes in nonroutine physician visits, hospitalizations, and days hospitalized within the 24 months prior to the study. RESULTS: Significant temporal linear spline change was found for nonroutine physician visits. The proportion of participants reporting ≥10 nonroutine physician visits in the 24 months prior to assessment kept relatively constant over the 30 years post injury (p value of trend: p = 0.605) and sharply increased afterwards (pknot = 30 years since injury = 0.016). The trajectory for hospitalization and days hospitalized followed a quadratic pattern (pyears post injury2 < 0.001) for all participants. The proportion of individuals who had at least one hospitalization and were hospitalized for more than 1 week significantly declined from the onset of SCI to 25-30 years post injury, then significantly increased thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: The natural course of changes in three indices of healthcare utilization was curve-linearly, rather than linearly related to years post injury. People with SCI tended to have significant changes in healthcare utilization after about 30 years injury.

Changes in psychotropic prescription medication use and their relationship with mortality among people with traumatic spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To identify the relationship of frequency of prescription medication use to treat pain, spasticity, sleep, and depression/stress, and change in prescription medication use with risk of all-cause mortality. SETTING: This study was initiated at a specialty hospital in the Southeastern USA, with follow-up and data analysis at an academic medical center in the Southeastern United States. METHODS: Prospective data were collected in 1997-1998 (Time 1) and 2007-2009 (Time 2), with mortality determined as of 31 December 2014. The initial participant cohort was comprised of 1386 participants with traumatic SCI who were adults and a minimum of 1-year post-injury at enrollment in 1997-1998. Of these, 863 participated at follow-up and 861 were included in the current mortality analysis. RESULTS: The frequency of taking prescription medication increased over the 10-year timeframe, particularly for sleep and pain. Each type of prescription medication at Time 1 was associated with later mortality, and an increase in medication use over time was associated with a greater risk of mortality for three of the four conditions (all except spasticity). A decrease in the frequency of pain medication use over time was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: More frequent use of prescription medication to treat pain, sleep, and depression/stress is related to all-cause mortality, and increases in the use of medications to treat these conditions is associated with elevated risk of all-cause mortality.

Pain Intensity, Interference, and Medication Use After Spinal Cord Injury: Association With Risk of Mortality After Controlling for Socioeconomic and Other Health Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the association of pain intensity, pain interference, and pain medication use with risk of mortality after spinal cord injury, controlling for demographic, injury, socioeconomic, and health factors. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: All participants (N=2535) had traumatic spinal cord injury of at least 1-year duration at enrollment, with noncomplete recovery (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grades A-D). Mortality status was obtained for 2535 individuals, and 335 were deceased as of 2014. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality status as of December 31, 2014, identified by the National Death Index. RESULTS: Preliminary bivariate analyses indicated that deceased participants were more likely to be older at injury, have more years postinjury, be men, and have a severe injury, low income, less education, and poorer health indicators. The final Cox model indicated that those who used pain medication daily were 51% more likely to be deceased at follow-up (hazard ratio [HR], 1.51). Pain intensity and pain interference were not statistically significant. Nonchronic pressure ulcer was related to 67% higher mortality risk (HR, 1.67), and chronic pressure ulcer was related to 122% higher risk (HR, 2.22). Other health indicators also increased the risk of mortality from 43% to 73%, including hospitalization (HR, 1.54), depression (HR, 1.43), and amputation (HR, 1.73). CONCLUSIONS: Prescription pain medication use appears to have a direct association with mortality, beyond that associated with other characteristics, and should become a strong focus of prevention efforts.

Exercise self-efficacy and symptoms of depression after cardiac rehabilitation: predicting changes over time using a piecewise growth curve analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation is often recommended after experiencing a cardiac event and has been shown to significantly improve health outcomes among patients. Several psychosocial variables have been linked with cardiac rehabilitation program success, including exercise self-efficacy. However, little is known about temporal patterns in patients' exercise self-efficacy after program completion. OBJECTIVE: This study examined changes in exercise self-efficacy among 133 cardiac rehabilitation patients and whether symptoms of depression impacted the rate of change in exercise self-efficacy. METHOD: Participants completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of cardiac rehabilitation and at 6-month intervals for 2 years. RESULTS: Growth curve analyses showed that exercise self-efficacy levels were highest at the beginning of cardiac rehabilitation, significantly declined 6 months after cardiac rehabilitation, and leveled off over the next 18 months. Results also showed that baseline depressive symptoms interacted with time: Compared with participants with fewer symptoms, participants high in depressive symptoms began cardiac rehabilitation with lower levels of exercise self-efficacy and evidenced significant declines 6 months after cardiac rehabilitation. At no time were they equal to their counterparts in exercise self-efficacy, and their means were lower 2 years after cardiac rehabilitation than before cardiac rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that patients show unrealistic optimism surrounding the ease of initiating and maintaining an exercise program and that integrating efficacy-building activities into cardiac rehabilitation, especially for patients who show signs of distress, is advisable.

A 5-year longitudinal structural equation model of social isolation and probable major depression among participants with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To develop longitudinal structural models of social isolation and probable major depression (PMD) over a 5-year interval among participants with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Longitudinal structural equation modeling of self-report assessments collected during two follow-ups (2013 as Time 1, 2018 as Time 2) of a 45-year multicohort longitudinal study. Participants (n = 557) were identified from a specialty hospital in the Southeastern United States and two Midwestern hospitals and were initially enrolled in 1973-1974, 1984-1985, 1993-1994, or 2003-2004. PMD symptomology was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and was defined by PHQ-9 scores ≥ 10. Social isolation was represented by two latent dimensions: social disconnectedness, objective component measured by activities, and perceived isolation, based on subjective appraisals. Structural equation modeling assessed the relationship among social disconnectedness and perceived isolation measured at Time 1 and PMD measured at Times 1 and 2. RESULTS: Both social disconnectedness and perceived isolation, measured at Time 1, were significantly related with PMD measured at Time 1 (rSD_Time 1 and PMD_Time 1 = .49, p < .001; rPI_Time 1 and PMD_Time 1 = .66, p < .001) and Time 2 (rSD_Time 1 and PMD_Time 2 = .37, p < .001; rPI_Time 1 and PMD_Time 2 = .54, p < .001), indicating participants with greater perceived isolation and social disconnectedness were more likely to have greater likelihood of PMD, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Perceived isolation was more strongly related to PMD compared with social disconnectedness. CONCLUSION: Social isolation was associated with both current and future depression symptoms. People with more years post-SCI were less likely to have PMD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Suicidal ideation among individuals aging with spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and its correlates among an aging cohort of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) with an average of more than three decades of having lived with SCI. RESEARCH METHOD: The study was a cross-sectional analysis of self-report assessment data. These data were collected from 2018 to 2019 during the most recent data collection period of the 45-year SCI Longitudinal Aging Study. Participants (n = 553) were identified from specialty and university hospitals in the southeastern and midwestern United States. The participants averaged 31 years since SCI onset, with an average age of 58 years. Participants were predominantly non-Hispanic, White (79%), male (70.1%), and had a cervical level SCI (51%). Approximately 23% of participants were ambulatory. SI was assessed using a nonzero response to the ninth item on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. RESULTS: Over 14% of the sample endorsed experiencing recent SI. Bivariate analyses indicated that those with SI had greater pain severity, pain interference, depressive symptom severity, and frequency of anxiety. Having a cervical injury level, lower self-reported general health, instrumental social support, emotional social support, and fewer days spent outside the home were also associated with SI. Logistic regression analysis indicated that when all biopsychosocial variables were considered simultaneously, having a cervical-level injury and greater depressive symptom severity remained significantly associated with SI. CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the importance of continued assessment of depressive symptoms and SI as individuals age with SCI. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Pain interference and depressive symptom severity across 10 years in individuals with long-term spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine change in pain interference and depression over a 10-year time period in individuals with long-term traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and to identify the extent to which changes in pain interference over time predicts change in depressive symptoms. DESIGN: Longitudinal analyses of self-report assessment data. SETTING: Specialty and university hospitals in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with a history of traumatic SCI (n = 504) who responded to the three most recent data collection periods of the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study (2008 [Time 1], 2013 [Time 2], and 2018 [Time 3]). The participants averaged 59 years of age and 32 years since injury onset at Time 3. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) assessed depressive symptom severity. The 7-item Pain Interference scale from the Brief Pain Inventory assessed pain interference. RESULTS: Over the three study timepoints, the sample averaged moderate levels of pain interference and mild depressive symptom severity. Unconditional linear growth models, reflecting changes in central tendency, indicated that pain interference significantly decreased and depressive symptom severity significantly increased over time. Multiple independent variables random coefficient modeling based on correlations suggested that change in pain interference was positively associated with change in depressive symptom severity over the 10-year study follow-up. CONCLUSION: Average depressive symptom severity worsened over time. Change in pain interference was positively associated with change in depressive symptom severity. These results point to the complexity of aging related changes in depressive symptoms and pain interference. They further support the need for continued assessment of mood and pain experiences, particularly among individuals reaching aging milestones with SCI.

Memory, fluid reasoning, and functional capacity in adults experiencing homelessness.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In individuals experiencing homelessness, determinants of functional capacity (i.e. the ability to perform activities of daily living) are poorly understood. Identifying potentially modifiable correlates of functional capacity, such as cognitive abilities, may inform treatment targets to address independence and housing stability. This study aimed to identify the strongest neuropsychological predictors of variance in functional performance in 100 adults living in a homeless shelter. METHODS: Participants completed a brief cognitive screening test, from which four composite scores were derived, as well as tests of processing speed, fluid reasoning, premorbid intellectual function, and performance-based functional capacity. We conducted a hierarchical linear regression to predict variance in functional capacity. RESULTS: Beyond the impact of education and premorbid intellectual function, better memory and fluid reasoning predicted better functional performance. CONCLUSIONS: Although our cross-sectional design does not permit causal inference, it is possible that interventions targeting memory and fluid reasoning may improve functional ability in individuals experiencing homelessness.

Neuropsychological Correlates of PTSD and Depressive Symptom Improvement in Compensatory Cognitive Training for Veterans With a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), depression, and PTSD are highly prevalent in post-9/11 veterans. With the comorbidity of depression and PTSD in post-9/11 veterans with mTBI histories and their role in exacerbating cognitive and emotional dysfunction, interventions addressing cognitive and psychiatric functioning are critical. Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) is associated with improvements in prospective memory, attention, and executive functioning and has also yielded small-to-medium treatment effects on PTSD and depressive symptom severity. We sought to examine neuropsychological correlates of PTSD and depressive symptom improvement in veterans with a history of mTBI who received CCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven post-9/11 veterans with mTBI histories and cognitive complaints received 10 weekly 120-minute CCT group sessions. Participants completed a baseline neuropsychological assessment, including tests of premorbid functioning, attention/working memory, processing speed, verbal learning/memory, and executive functioning, and completed psychiatric symptom measures (PTSD and depression) at baseline, post-treatment, and a 5-week follow-up. Paired samples t-tests were used to examine statistically significant changes in PTSD (total and symptom cluster scores) and depressive symptom scores over time. Pearson's correlations were calculated between neuropsychological scores and PTSD and depressive symptom change scores at post-treatment and follow-up. Neuropsychological measures identified as significantly correlated with psychiatric symptom change scores were entered as independent variables in multivariable regression analyses to examine their association with symptom change at post-treatment and follow-up. RESULTS: Over 50% of CCT participants had clinically meaningful improvement in depressive symptoms (≥17.5% score reduction), and over 20% had clinically meaningful improvement in PTSD symptoms (≥10-point improvement) at post-treatment and follow-up. Examination of PTSD symptom cluster scores revealed a statistically significant improvement in avoidance/numbing at follow-up. Bivariate correlations indicated that worse baseline performance on Category Fluency was moderately associated with PTSD symptom improvement at post-treatment. Worse performance on both Category Fluency and Category Switching Accuracy was associated with improvement in depressive symptoms at post-treatment and follow-up. Worse performance on Trail-Making Number-Letter Switching was also associated with improvement in depressive symptoms at follow-up. Subsequent regression analyses revealed that worse processing speed and worse aspects of executive functioning at baseline were associated with depressive symptom improvement at post-treatment and follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Worse baseline performances on tests of processing speed and aspects of executive functioning were significantly associated with improvements in PTSD and depressive symptoms during the trial. Our results suggest that cognitive training may bolster skills that are helpful for PTSD and depressive symptom reduction and that those with worse baseline functioning may benefit more from treatment because they have more room to improve.

Suicidal ideation in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with mental health conditions at risk for homelessness.

Suicide prevention among Veterans is a national priority. Overlap exists between conditions that may increase risk for suicide (e.g., mental health conditions, financial stressors, lack of social support) and homelessness among Veterans. We examined predictors of variance in suicidal ideation (SI) among 58 Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans at risk for homelessness who were receiving residential mental health treatment. Participants were classified as SI nonendorsers (n = 36) or SI endorsers (n = 22), based on their Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) responses. Independent t tests and chi-square tests were used to examine group differences on baseline demographic variables, neuropsychological measures, and emotional/physical health symptom measures. Compared to nonendorsers, SI endorsers were significantly younger and reported less Veterans Affairs (VA) disability income, less total monthly income, less physical pain, lower quality of life overall and in the psychological health domain, lower community reintegration satisfaction, and more severe anxiety. Groups did not significantly differ on cognitive measures. A subsequent logistic regression revealed that only younger age uniquely predicted variance in SI endorsement. Younger age may be a particularly important factor to consider when assessing suicide risk in Veterans at risk for homelessness. Identifying predictors of variance in SI may help inform future treatment and suicide prevention efforts for Veterans at risk for homelessness. Future longitudinal research examining predictors of suicidality is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Cognitive predictors of a performance-based measure of instrumental activities of daily living following stroke.

BACKGROUND: To inform cognitive interventions that target functional capacity for individuals who have survived stroke, an evaluation of predictors of daily functioning is necessary. The current literature is limited regarding identifying the associations between objective cognitive functioning and objective performance of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between objectively measured cognitive domains/executive functions and performance on an objective measure of IADLs following a stroke. METHODS: Cross-sectional examination of 52 participants who have survived strokes and completed assessments of immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional skills, language, attention, delayed memory, executive functions (i.e., inhibition and flexibility, concept-formation and problem-solving, abstract thinking, deductive thinking, and verbal abstraction), and a performance-based measure of IADLs (UCSD Performance-based Skills Assessment; UPSA). RESULTS: Results indicated significant correlations between the UPSA and immediate memory, visuospatial/constructional skills, language, delayed memory, and executive functions (i.e., concept formation and problem-solving, flexibility of thinking, and verbal abstraction). A hierarchical multiple regression, controlling for age, severity of stroke, side of stroke, and depressive symptoms and including the cognitive measures individually significantly associated with the UPSA, explained approximately 62% of the variance in overall UPSA performance. This regression demonstrated that only language significantly predicted UPSA total score, in the context of multiple variables. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive functioning is significantly associated with IADL functioning post-stroke, and considering multiple domains of cognitive functioning together largely explains the performance of IADLs.