Knowledge of sex and gender and related information needs in patients with traumatic brain injury: in-depth interview study.

Aim: This research aimed to gain an understanding of biological sex and social gender phenomena experienced by patients with traumatic brain injury in recovery, and to understand the educational needs of this group.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews of 40 adult patients (22 men, 18 women) of different ages, education levels, and ethnicities, with diagnoses of mild and moderate-severe traumatic brain injury at the acute and chronic stages post-injury.

Results: Applying classic content analysis with inductive coding, three overarching themes that limited patients' knowledge and subsequent efforts to obtain information on the topic emerged: (1) the complexity of sex and gender subject matters, (2) patients' dependence on others, and (3) uncertainty about the course of recovery.