Injury
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial of follow-up mental health care for traumatic injury patients following hospital discharge.
Traumatic injuries account for a huge burden of disease. Many patients develop persistent mental health problems in the months following hospital discharge. This proof-of-concept trial investigated whether Stepped Care comprising follow-up assessment telephone calls and appropriate referral information would lead to better mental health and functioning in traumatic injury patients. ⋯ This proof-of-concept trial suggests that brief screening assessments of traumatic injury patients following hospital discharge, combined with appropriate referral information, may lead to better functional outcomes. Further research is needed with larger sample sizes and greater verification of referral uptake to validate this finding.