Exploring knowledge about traumatic brain injuries in the general population

Abstract

In Europe, an estimate of 57000 deaths and 1.5 million hospital admissions annually have been attributed to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) (Majdan et al., 2016). The consequences of a TBI have a significant impact on all areas of the individual’s life as it can lead to a series of physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioural impairments. (Langlois et al.,2006). Despite this high incidence rate of TBIs, previous research suggests that the public lacks adequate knowledge about traumatic brain injuries. (Schellinger, 2015) As a result, researchers have called for actions to heighten public awareness and provide education about TBIs (Schellinger, 2015). This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of Maltese adults about traumatic brain injuries. The 53 participants in this study were recruited anonymously using convenience sampling via Facebook. The sample consisted of 11 males and 42 females ranging from 18 to 54. The research instrument used was a TBI knowledge survey designed by Davies et al. (2016), which was adapted from a validated instrument (Hux, Walker &Sanger, 1996). The data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistical 27. The findings indicate that the participants had a below-average knowledge (M=9.68, SD=2.861). The gender, education, and employment yielded no significant difference for knowledge score; however, age did. This significance suggested a difference between the age groups and total knowledge score. Despite no significant difference in gender, females obtained slightly higher knowledge scores. By increasing knowledge and emphasising the importance of psychoeducation, stereotypes and negative attitudes are lessened, helping people with TBI maintain their quality of life.