PhD defence Daphne Voormolen

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as “an alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an external force”. TBI is considered “the most complex disease in the most complex organ” and it is known that no two TBIs are rendered exactly the same, thus recovery after TBI leads to variability and uncertainty. On top of this, TBI is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and has tremendous economic repercussions.

 The overall aim of this thesis was to expand our knowledge on assessing outcome following TBI, and measuring outcome preferences for TBI and stroke among patients and the general population. The first part of this thesis (Chapter 2-8) describes the association between post-concussion symptoms and health-related quality of life in mild TBI and assesses the outcome following mild TBI, the prevalence and risk factors of post-concussion symptoms in patients with mild TBI and the general population and lastly, classifies post-concussion symptoms. In part two of this thesis (Chapter 9-12) we examine the preferences and utility weights for TBI and stroke health states and their application.