# Health Outcomes Associated with TBI Screening

> **NIH VA I01** · JAMES A. HALEY VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · —

## Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study is to inform strategies to improve screening and treatment
processes for Veterans returning from deployment. For almost a decade the Veterans' Health
Administration (VHA) has been screening post 9-11 Veterans for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and
other deployment-related invisible injuries. Despite the time and resources invested, little is known
about outcomes of these screening programs. This project will provide crucial information for
improving the current screening program and implementing a new program in the event of future
wars. This study will be the first to systematically evaluate outcomes associated with the VHA's TBI
post-deployment screening processes and integrate findings from TBI screening with findings from
mental health (MH) screening.
Project Objectives: (1) Describe specialty care treatment patterns following TBI screening; (2)
Determine if the TBI screening process results in different patterns of specialty care utilization
compared to just MH screening; and (3) Determine whether post deployment TBI screening
enhances clinical outcomes and quality of life.
Project Methods: This study will involve: (1) a retrospective analysis of VHA national post
deployment screening and utilization data as well as (2) a survey of a subset of those individuals
identified in the national data as having been screened for TBI. VHA national data will be utilized to
examine the screening and evaluation results (both TBI and MH), as well as subsequent
treatments received, by category. DSS identifiers will be used to create categories of outpatient
services: MH, Neurology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR). Data from Corporate
Data Warehouse inpatient and outpatient data domains will be used to obtain diagnoses,
categorize the inpatient and outpatient health services utilization (including medications) based on
the category of care (i.e., Neurology, MH, PMR). In addition to VA national data, we will survey a
random sample of the individuals identified as having been screened for TBI during the study
period. We will mail questionnaires to this sample to evaluate outcomes and potential
moderators/mediators of outcome, controlling for relevant variables.
Priority Area: This project is relevant to HSR&D's priority on healthcare system change, as factors
associated with efficiency and outcome with be investigated. This project also aligns with
HSR&D's focus on postdeployment health (Atkins et al., 2017); existing data will be leveraged to
evaluate services and outcomes associated with postdeployment screening.
Expected Results/Significance: This study will be the first to systematically evaluate outcomes
associated with the VHA's TBI post-deployment screening processes and integrate findings
from TBI screening with findings from MH screening. VHA has invested heavily in post
deployment screening. Despite increasing identification of possible TBI, it is unknown if the TBI
screen and subsequent treatments ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9935906
- **Project number:** 5I01HX002395-02
- **Recipient organization:** JAMES A. HALEY VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Shannon R. Miles
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9935906

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9935906, Health Outcomes Associated with TBI Screening (5I01HX002395-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9935906. Licensed CC0.

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