Grants awarded to help Kiwis recover from brain injuries

BAIL has secured a Major Grant for an important study.

The Health research Council of NZ have just announced the following

Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) accounts for between 70 to 90 per cent of traumatic brain injuries presenting to hospitals and outpatient clinics.

Dr Deborah Snell from Burwood Academy of Independent Living in Christchurch has been awarded an Emerging Researcher First Grant of $142,532 to investigate why up to 15 per cent of people with MTBI develop chronic health problems, irrespective of the severity of their injuries.

“This study will examine factors potentially associated with outcomes after MTBI to help clinicians understand why some people do not recover as expected,” says Dr Snell. “The factors we are interested in include changes in brain function, and psychological factors such as coping skills, injury beliefs, personality styles and the impact of stress.”