In 2010, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, also known as the Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, launched the Caregiver and Family Member Study. This 15-Year Longitudinal TBI Study, led by TBICoE researchers at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Bethesda, Maryland is a congressionally mandated study that examines the effects of TBI incurred by service members. The specific focus of the study is on those who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom, and how those effects impact family members.
The TBICoE Caregiver and Family Member Study is ongoing and currently recruiting caregivers of service members and veterans with TBI and PTSD (TBI and PTSD caregivers), and parents and spouses who are not caregiving (non-caregiver military family members). Read the descriptions below to discover how you can best support the study.
Caring for Military Families
Currently the study is recruiting a couple different groups of people: TBI Caregivers, PTSD Caregivers, and Non-Caregiving Military Family Members.
TBI and PTSD Caregivers
Do you care for a service member or veteran who had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and served after October 2001? If so, you may be eligible to participate in a study requested by Congress.
The study is currently recruiting family members, friends, or significant others who help a service member or veteran who had a TBI and/or a PTSD diagnosis and served after October 2001. Help can include assistance with any day to day activity such as dressing, managing emotions, flashbacks, personality changes, anger/irritability, housework, remembering things, taking medications, managing money, providing financial assistance, running errands, shopping, transportation, or preparing meals.
Non-caregiving Military Family Members
Are you a parent, spouse, or significant other of a service member or veteran who served after October 2001? We would like to talk to you about your health and well-being.
- Purpose: Conduct a longitudinal study requested by Congress to examine military family health care needs. Participate in online surveys from the comfort of your own home.
- Benefits: Contribute to knowledge that could improve health care provided to military families.
- Time Commitment: About 1-2 hours each year for up to 15 years.
- Principal Investigator: Dr. Louis French, National Intrepid Center of Excellence
If you or someone you know may be interested in joining the study, please call 855-821-1469 or email dha.caregiver.study@health.mil. You may receive payment for your participation.
DOD; IRB Number: 367721