A PORTABLE METHOD FOR OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF FITNESS FOR RETURN TO DUTY
Abstract
Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI) represent a significant health issue for both civilian and military populations. The establishment of objective and efficient measures to diagnose mTBI and to inform clinical return to duty/work (RTD/W) decisions are critical for maintaining operational end strength and preventing sequelae related to a second injury prior to complete recovery. Members of our team at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a comprehensive, multi-domain approach to evaluation that acknowledges the heterogeneity of mild TBI and conceptualizes distinct clinical mTBI profiles. Other members of our team have shown that increased diagnostic precision can be obtained with quantitative assessment of oculomotor and vestibulo-ocular performance. This project will first evaluate a new oculomotor and vestibulo-ocular test device (I-PAS generation 2, Neuro Kinetics Inc, Pittsburgh, PA) with (1) a virtual reality display, (2) a streamlined form factor and (3) test paradigms taken from a standard set of currently employed tests for diagnosis and clinical follow-up of mTBI. New tests will then be designed, incorporated in the device (as I-PAS generation 3 [IG3]) and evaluated as predictors of outcomes on current return to duty/work evaluations after rehabilitation from mTBI. These measures can objectify the basis for determining return to duty/work with a brief test battery that can be performed on a small, portable device, even in austere operational environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 13, 2021
- Source ID
- HU00012010002
Entities
People
- Carey D. Balaban
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
- University of Pittsburgh