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Table 3 Examples of limitations reported

From: Disability in young adults following major trauma: 5 year follow up of survivors

Locomotion

40 (37%, 95% CI 28–46) people reported that they had some form of locomotion problem that was the result or had got worse since accident including; 10 who were unable to walk at all and 5 who could only walk a few steps.

20 (18%, 95% CI 12–27) reported that they used some sort of aid to walk or get around including 13 (12%, 95% CI 7–19) who used wheelchairs

14 (12%, 95% CI 8–20) of those able to stand reported that they experienced difficulty with balance and falls

Dexterity / Reaching

23 (21%, 95% CI 15–31) people reported that they had difficulty holding / gripping things as a result of the accident including; 13 (12%, 95% CI 7–19) who found it difficult or impossible to serve food from a pan, 11 (10%, 95% CI 6–17) who reported difficulty teeing a bow in laces / piece of string and 7 who had difficulty holding a pen or pencil

18 (16%, 95% CI 11–25) people reported difficulty using arms to stretch or reach for things

Sight

6 (5%, 95% CI 3–12) reported that they experienced visual problems as a result of the accident including; 2 people who were registered blind and 1 who was partially sighted

Hearing

3 people had some sort of hearing loss as a result of accident

20 (18%, 95% CI 12–27) people had difficulty with hearing ringing or buzzing noises a result of accident

Continence

15 (14%, 95% CI 9–22) people had difficulty or loss of control of bladder

10 (9%, 95% CI) people reported difficulty or loss of bowel as a result of their injuries

Behaviour

25 (23%, 95% CI 16–32) people reported that ability to relate with family and others had been made difficult as a result of accident including; 12 (11%, 95% CI 6–18) people who found relationships with family difficult, 19 (17%, 95% CI 12–26) who found relationships with people outside family difficult, and 23 (21%, 95% CI 16–30) who said that they often felt aggressive or hostile towards other people

Intellectual functioning

36 (33%, 95% CI 25–42) people reported some sort of difficulty with 'intellectual functioning' including 20 (18%, 95% CI 12–27) who got confused about what day or time it is, 15 (14%, 95% CI 9–22) who would be unable to tell someone else about a TV programme they had just seen, and 30 (27%, 95% CI 20–37) who said they would be unable to remember a message and pass it on correctly

Convulsion / fit

11 (10%, 95% CI 6–17)) people had fitted since the injury but only 7 (6%, 95% CI 3–13) of these had had a fit in the previous 12 months