ACHA Publication: Understanding the links between mental health problems and traumatic injuries in older people

In this study (first author Joseph Thompson, final year medical student at QMUL) we looked at people aged 65 and over who were admitted to a London Major Trauma Centre to try and understand how many people may have injured themselves. Over a seven-year period, 60 patients were identified—most were men (80%) with an average age of 73. Many had a history of mental health conditions, particularly depression.  Despite the seriousness of these incidents, overall injury severity and mortality were relatively low. Most people were assessed and looked after by the liaison psychiatry team , alongside the trauma surgeons, specialist geriatricians and multidisciplinary care team,  and were transferred for specialist psychiatric care and support after their general hospital stay. This was a joint project with Professor Elaine Cole, Centre for Trauma Sciences, Blizard Institute, QMUL as part of  the  Trauma Sciences and Care of the Injured Patient Programme (TSCIPP).

These findings highlight the urgent need for better mental health support for older adults, access to early intervention, compassionate and joined-up care to help manage this complex issue, and are an important part of our work in ACHA, which is to help optimise physical and mental health recovery after traumatic injuries. You can read the paper here.