Depression and life satisfaction in patients with traumatic brain injury: a longitudinal study.

To assess the relationship between depression and life satisfaction among survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) over a 3-year period after injury. It was hypothesized that survivors of TBI with depression would have decreased life satisfaction. Two groups (depression vs no depression) longitudinal design. Interviewed survivors of TBI (n = 324) by telephone at 24, 48 and 60 months after hospitalization. At the 24-month interview, 90 (27.8%) respondents reported a post-injury diagnosis of depression and 234 (72.2%) reported no diagnosis. Respondents then completed the Life Satisfaction Index I-A, which was repeated at the 48- and 60-month interviews. The depression group had significantly lower life satisfaction than the no depression group at 24-, 48- and 60-month interviews. Depression and diminished life satisfaction among survivors of TBI are persistent problems that require the close attention of medical and rehabilitation professionals.