Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury: Current Research and Future Directions

ISBN: 9780199737529
ISBN-10: 0199737525
Copyright: 2014
Edition: 1st
Editors: Levin, Harvey S., Shum, David H. K., Chan, Raymond C. K.,
Doody's Expert Review    Score: 98
Reviewer: Sangeeta Driver,  MD MPH  (Shirley Ryan AbilityLab)
Description
The focus of this book is on fundamental concepts in traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation and recent advances on both clinical and research fronts.
Purpose
The purpose is to provide a global review of essential concepts in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation as well as to highlight recent clinical and research advances. These are worthy objectives, and the field of TBI medicine and rehabilitation needs well-researched contributions like this. The book succeeds in its objectives, providing a wealth of information that is useful to healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers.
Audience
The audience is broad, including a wide variety of individuals interested in the area of traumatic brain injury management and rehabilitation. Initial chapters focus on important historical and epidemiological facts that may be of interest to the general public as well as public health practitioners. Subsequent chapters examine key TBI-related neurobehavioral impairments and the evidence-based treatments to address these impairments. Healthcare providers who care for traumatic brain injury patients in either acute care or rehabilitation settings will find these chapters elucidating and practical. Later chapters turn to technological advances and outcome measurement, topics geared to both researchers and clinicians. The final chapters are population specific and especially informative for those caring for pediatric, geriatric, and military patients. The editors and contributing authors are among the world's leading authorities in traumatic brain injury medicine.
Features
This book not only provides a comprehensive review of fundamental concepts related to traumatic brain injury medicine and rehabilitation, but also provides an in-depth discussion of the latest clinical and research breakthroughs. The book begins with a very interesting synopsis of historically relevant facts and important epidemiological statistics. Later chapters nicely correlate neuroanatomical findings with key neuropsychological impairments and review the latest evidence-based treatment options to address these impairments. Subsequent chapters explore important research topics related to outcome measurement and advanced neuroimaging. Clear illustrations and graphics accompany this section. Finally, the book addresses traumatic brain injury in special populations including children, the elderly, and the military as it relates to blast injury and mild TBI. It provides a great detail of information not only on the unique injury characteristics but also on the unique challenges faced by these different patient populations.
Assessment
This is a high-quality, well-researched book that makes a unique contribution to the existing literature in this field. It nicely reviews fundamental concepts while at the same time pushes boundaries, exploring the latest on both the clinical and research fronts. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to better understand traumatic brain injury, including clinicians, researchers, and healthcare policymakers.
Review Questionnaire
Range Question Score
1-10 Are the author's objectives met? 10
1-10 Rate the worthiness of those objectives. 10
1-5 Is this written at an appropriate level? 5
1-5 Is there significant duplication? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 4
1-5 Are there significant omissions? (1=significant, 5=insignificant) 5
1-5 Rate the authority of the authors. 5
1-5 Are there sufficient illustrations? 5
1-5 Rate the pedagogic value of the illustrations. 4
1-5 Rate the print quality of the illustrations. 5
1-5 Are there sufficient references? 5
1-5 Rate the currency of the references. 5
1-5 Rate the pertinence of the references. 5
1-5 Rate the helpfulness of the index. 5
1-5 If important in this specialty, rate the physical appearance of the book 5
1-10 Is this a worthwhile contribution to the field? 10
1-10 If this is a 2nd or later edition, is this new edition needed? N/A