- A V Peters: Center for Functional Assessment Research, State University of New York, Buffalo 14214-3007.
A major challenge facing individuals with brain injury and the rehabilitation professionals who assist them is the acquisition of current, understandable information. Health professionals in hospitals usually provide initial information, which patients with brain injury and their families often find inadequate. They then find it necessary to seek information from independent sources. One such source, TBI-INFO, an information dissemination service, conducted a survey to determine how effectively it was satisfying consumer and professional demands. Responses generally indicated that the acquisition of information improved patients' integration into the community and enhanced their understanding of brain injury and its effects. Most of the information respondents received was new to them, most shared the information with others, and may requested information more than once. Half of the respondents changed their approach to a specific situation as a result of information they received. These results show that independent sources are capable of providing information that improves the perceived quality of life for individuals with traumatic brain injury.