Publications by authors named "Tiffany A O'Connor"
Article Synopsis
- Homeless and precariously housed individuals have a high rate of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), with a study in Vancouver documenting 175 TBIs among 326 participants over a year.
- Key incidents leading to TBIs included falls, assaults, and head impacts, with factors like acute intoxication and opioid dependence increasing TBI risk.
- The findings highlight a critical need for better healthcare strategies to address TBIs in this vulnerable population, underscoring the importance of targeted prevention efforts.
Article Synopsis
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is highly prevalent in homeless and precariously housed individuals, with 82.1% of a studied sample reporting a history of TBI, particularly linked to violence.
- The severity and timing of TBI, especially moderate or severe cases, are closely associated with the onset of homelessness and the duration of unstable housing.
- Females experienced a higher rate of TBIs due to physical abuse, highlighting a significant gender difference in the causes of TBI within this population.
Homeless and marginally housed youth are particularly vulnerable members of society, and are known to experience numerous health problems, including psychiatric illness, substance use, and viral infection. Despite the presence of these risk factors for cognitive compromise, there is limited research on the cognitive functioning of homeless and marginally housed youth. The present study examines the degree and pattern of cognitive impairment and associations with key risk factors in a sample of marginally housed young adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe characterized traumatic brain injury (TBI) and studied its associations with mental and physical health in a community cohort of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals. Detailed mental and physical health structured interviews, neuropsychological testing, and multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed on 283 participants. Two TBI participant groups were defined for primary analyses: those with a self-reported history of TBI and those with MRI confirmation of TBI.
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