Area deprivation index association with estimation of preinjury functioning in children with acquired brain injury

OBJECTIVES: Assessment for children with acquired brain injury (ABI) often includes measures of preinjury functioning; however, there is limited understanding of how social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with preinjury measures. This study investigated the association of the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) with measures of preinjury functioning. METHODS: 196 caregivers of children with ABI completed the Adaptive Behavioral Assessment System-3rd Edition (ABAS-III), and 188 children with ABI completed the Wide Range Achievement Testing-4th Edition or 5th Edition word reading subtest (WRAT-Word Reading). Two linear regressions were performed: 1) ADI × WRAT-Reading and 2) ADI × ABAS-III. RESULTS: The ADI demonstrated significant associations with the ABAS-III and WRAT-Reading scores. Children in lower deprivation areas demonstrated higher preinjury functioning and word reading scores. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have implications for recovery from brain injury, considerations for incorporating social determinants of health into neuropsychological evaluations, and implications for clinician interpretation of a child's testing.