JOEM: Impact of Timing of Mental Health Interventions (June 2022)-JOEM: Impact of Timing of Mental Health Interventions (June 2022)

JOEM: Impact of Timing of Mental Health Interventions (June 2022)

Pdf Summary

A 10-year matched cohort study examined the impact of the timing of mental health interventions in workers' compensation claims for mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). The study found that early mental health interventions for MTBI patients within 3 months of the date of injury may lead to reduced healthcare costs and shorter durations of disability. The study included a cohort of MTBI claimants who received mental health services and compared those who received early care (within 3 months) to those who received delayed care. The outcomes measured were the incremental cost difference and the duration of loss of earnings benefit after 1 year of the first intervention. The study found that the early mental health intervention group had lower mean costs and shorter durations of disability compared to the delayed intervention group. Sensitivity and stratified analyses also demonstrated the same trend. The study concludes that early mental health interventions for MTBI patients can result in improved outcomes and recommends that mental health screening and appropriate referral be implemented early in the course of recovery. This study provides evidence of the benefits of early mental health interventions for MTBI patients in terms of healthcare costs and disability duration.

Keywords

matched cohort study

mental health interventions

workers' compensation claims

mild traumatic brain injury

early care

delayed care

healthcare costs

duration of disability

mean costs

improved outcomes