NIH Consensus Development Conference Will Address
Rehabilitation Of Persons With Traumatic Brain Injury
The panel will present its draft statement to the public for comment at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28. Following this public comment session, the panel will release its revised consensus statement at a news conference at 1 p.m. and take questions from the media. Dr. Ragnarsson will moderate the news conference. The consensus statement is the report of an independent panel and is not a policy statement of the NIH or the Federal Government.
- What is the epidemiology of traumatic brain injury in the United States, and what are its implications for rehabilitation?
- What are the consequences of traumatic brain injury in terms of pathophysiology, impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, societal limitations, and economic impact?
- What is known about mechanisms underlying functional recovery following traumatic brain injury, and what are the implications for rehabilitation?
- What are the common therapeutic interventions for the cognitive and behavioral sequelae of traumatic brain injury, what is their scientific basis, and how effective are they?
- What are common models of comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary rehabilitation for people with traumatic brain injury, what is their scientific basis, and what is known about their short-term and long-term outcomes?
- Based on the answers to these questions, what can be recommended regarding rehabilitation practices for people with traumatic brain injury?
- What research is needed to guide the rehabilitation of people with traumatic brain injuries?
The NIH Consensus Development Program was established in 1977 as a form of "science court" to resolve in an unbiased manner controversial topics in medicine. To date, NIH has conducted 108 such conferences addressing a wide range of controversial medical issues important to health care providers, patients, and the general public. An average of six consensus conferences are held each year.
Additional information about this conference, including the meeting agenda, local area hotels, and directions to NIH, is available at the NIH Consensus Development Program Web site at http://consensus.nih.gov. To register for the conference, call 301-592-3320, send e-mail to brain@ProspectAssoc.com, or visit the Web site.
NOTE TO TV EDITORS: The news conference at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28 will be broadcast live via satellite on the following coordinates: Galaxy 6, Transponder 22.
NOTE TO RADIO EDITORS: An audio report of the conference results will be available after 4 p.m. October 28 until 5 p.m. November 4, 1998 from the NIH Radio News Service by calling 1-800-MED-DIAL (1-800-633-3425).