Five-year follow-up of persons with brain injury entering the French vocational and social rehabilitation programme UEROS: Return-to-work, life satisfaction, psychosocial and community integration

Background: Social and vocational reintegration of persons with brain injury is an important element in their rehabilitation.Aims: To evaluate the 5-year outcome of persons with brain injury included in 2008 in the Aquitaine Unit for Evaluation, Training and Social and Vocational Counselling programme (UEROS).Method: 57 persons with brain injury were recruited from those who completed the 2008 UEROS programme. Five years later, an interview was done to assess family and vocational status, autonomy and life satisfaction. These results were compared with those from persons completing the 1997-1999 programme.Results: The typical person entered the 2008 UEROS programme 6 years after a severe brain injury (42%) and was male, single and 35 years. At the 5-year follow-up, more persons lived with a partner (+23%) and lived in their own home (+21%). 47% were working vs 11% on entering the programme. Approximately half were satisfied or very satisfied with their quality of life. Having a job in 2013 was associated with a high education level, less cognitive sequelae, having a job in 2008 and no health condition.Conclusions: The UEROS programme is effective with regard to return-to-work and improvement of autonomy in persons with brain injury, irrespective of length of time from injury.