Improving mental health practices in patients recovering from traumatic injuries: Identifying priorities based on knowledge to practice gaps and interested parties needs and preferences

Traumatic injuries are one of the leading causes of disability and account for the greatest number of years of productive life lost. Although disability is defined as any impairment involving the body or mind, efforts so far have mainly focused on the recovery of physical health in trauma systems. Yet, many trauma patients have mental health co-morbidities at the time of injury, and there is a high prevalence of mental disorders during the hospitalization in trauma centres and a markedly elevated risk of hospitalization for such conditions in the five years following trauma. Given the scarcity of specialized psychological resources available, interested parties consulted as part of our team's previous research have stressed the importance of improving the practices of trauma healthcare providers to promote a comprehensive approach to mental health management. Accordingly, the overarching goal of this study is to select practices that need to be improved for the management of trauma patients with mental disorders, considering the evidence, current practices and interested parties’ perspectives. To do so, we will conduct a systematic review of clinical practice guideline recommendations aimed at improving mental health practices in trauma systems. We will also undertake a practice survey with decision makers, review patients’ medical charts and organize focus groups with healthcare providers and decision makers. We will also conduct individual interviews with patients and family members to obtain an in-depth understanding of the lived experience regarding mental health practices. Finally, we will undertake a consensus study to determine which practices should be prioritized to improve mental health practices in injury care. Thus, we will identify national priorities that will help to develop quality improvement interventions to optimize mental health practices. This project, therefore, has great potential for improving the quality of life of trauma survivors.