Evaluating Long-term Outcomes Among Older Adults with Severe Injury in Ontario to Improve Post-Trauma Care
Description: Supervisors: Dr. Laura Rosella, University of Toronto and Dr. Barbara Haas, Sunnybrook Hospital Older adults (age > 65) now represent 40% of patients treated for traumatic injuries. The current trauma systems were designed to best address injuries among younger adults. How best to provide care for injured older adults remains largely an unanswered question and has resulted in unequal care for older adults. Prior research indicates that older adults are less likely to receive care at a top-tier trauma center in comparison to younger adults, even when accounting for the severity of their injury. It is not fully understood whether receiving care at a non-trauma center impairs older adults' long-term recovery. While previous research has identified the factors that predict whether someone will survive in the short-term (e.g., 1-month) after a traumatic injury, little is known about what regional and patient-specific factors influence survival and recovery in the long-term. Better understanding how to help older adults achieve long-term recovery is crucial for planning their care. The purpose of this research is to address these knowledge gaps to ensure older adults receive the highest quality of care after traumatic injuries. My study will (1) investigate whether receiving care at a trauma center improves long-term survival and function of older adults, (2) determine which regions have worse long-term outcomes after injury, and (3) identify what factors predict the likelihood of long-term ability to remain at home. My approach differs from other research on trauma outcomes in that we focus on long-term outcomes, measuring factors important to patients, such as their ability to remain at home. Our findings can be used to eliminate disparities in trauma care at the patient-level by informing clinicians on the factors that determine patients' ability to remain alive and at home and at the policy level by identifying regions to prioritize for improved trauma care.
Amount: CA$150,000
Funding type: fellowship
Funder scheme: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
Start date: 2024-05-01
End date: 2027-04-30
Investigator: Gemma Postill
Institution: University of Toronto
Subfield: Emergency Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: 192651_1
OpenAlex ID: G1992128332