Return to school among service members and veterans after traumatic brain injury: a scoping review

Abstract

Objective:. The purpose of this scoping review was to evaluate the current literature related to return to school among US service members and veterans with traumatic brain injury. Methods:. Seven research databases (Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Library, Scopus, SPORTDiscus) were queried for human studies. We included studies that focused on US service members and veterans who sustained traumatic brain injuries and their vocational outcomes. Conference abstracts, systematic reviews, literature reviews, editorials, consensus reports, commentaries, dissertations, and qualitative studies were excluded. Two rounds of independent reviews were performed. Details of study design, intervention, and vocational outcomes were recorded. Results:. The search yielded 5667 articles; 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. Seventeen studies were observational (94%), and 1 was randomized control trial. Most studies relied on self-reported student or school enrollment status. The only intervention identified for return to school utilized physical therapy and occupational therapy to address cognitive skills and functional deficits. Conclusion:. Research related to educational outcomes after traumatic brain injury among service members and veterans is largely unstudied. Most studies were observational and related heavily to self-reported educational status. Longitudinal research is needed to understand the facilitators and barriers to return to school after traumatic brain injury among this patient population.