Mental health outcomes associated with severe injuries following motor vehicle crashes

Motor vehicle crashes are associated with a high risk of physical injury that can
result in life-long disability and lowered quality of life. Injuries following a motor vehicle crash can be classified as minor to moderate injuries versus severe injuries. Severe injuries include spinal cord injury, severe traumatic brain injury, amputation, permanent blindness and severe burns. Injuries are classified as severe if they result in permanent severe functional disability. This chapter will describe the mental health outcomes associated with severe injuries, concentrating mostly on the more prevalent severe injuries such as spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. Mental health outcomes include the psychological or psychiatric sequelae as well as quality of life impacts. It is
concluded that a substantial minority of people with severe injury following a motor vehicle crash experience substantially elevated psychological symptoms and disorder, as well as significantly lowered quality of life. Given this evidence, it is crucial that additional health and community resources be invested into improving the mental health of people with severe injury following a motor vehicle crash.