Abstract for presentation at 6th World Congress on Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation in Japan: Current and Future Challenges

  • Shu Watanabe, Tokyo Metropolitan University of Health Sciences, Japan
  • Kyozo Yonemoto, Tokyo Metropolitan University of Health Sciences, Japan
  • Yoshiaki Kikuchi, Tokyo Metropolitan University of Health Sciences, Japan
  • Masahiro Ohashi, Kanagawa Rehabilitation Center, Japan
  • Keiji Hashimoto, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Masahiro Abo, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Japan
  • Satoshi Miyano, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Japan

    • For 50 years, Japanese government has provided health service that covers the whole population, including prevention, treatment and care. However, arrangements of the service for traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially young traffic accident victims have not been satisfactory. It is because cognitive and psychosocial problems following TBI are hard to be recognized outwardly, however those problems have become an increasing public concern.
    In this study, we report the present state of traumatic brain injury rehabilitation in Japan as follow. 1) With advances in emergency and intensive care medicine, the number of survivors with severe TBI tends to increase. 2) Outcome study in sub acute rehabilitation in Kanagawa rehab. hospital (one of ten Research Centers of TBI in Japan). 3) Outpatient rehabilitation program for TBI persons. 4) Analysis of Cost effectiveness in a post-acute Brain injury rehabilitation. Assignments in future: 1. Development of common assessment tools as to psychosocial problems. 2. Establishment of cognitive rehabilitation based on the evidence. 3. Cost-effective study of TBI rehabilitation. 4. Enlightenment about cognitive and psychosocial problems following TBI. 5. Establishment of long-term social support for the patient and family, including employment in the community.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd