Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Traumatic Brain Injury

The goal of this study is to increase the understanding of social aspects of an HBOT Clinical Trial (i.e., USF IRB Study 6819) by identifying 1) information and attitudes affecting participation of veteran and service member study participants with TBI, 2) information and attitudes held by study researchers, and 3) the experiences and social effects of participation among participants and their family or caregivers. The primary aim is: To capture lived experiences of study participants, their family or caregivers, research team members, and policymakers in USF IRB Study 6819, to identify the social factors comprising the total ‘ecology of care’ affecting trial engagement and outcomes holistically. This application is for primary participants only and modification to the study will be submitted prior to including the secondary and tertiary participants.

This study will help contextualize the linked biomedical study processes and results within existing attitudes and information about brain health, brain injury, TBI, HBOT, and experimental and standard biomedical and behavioral health therapies. The goal of the qualitative research is to document the range of attitudes and information about brain health, brain injury, and brain science and treatment options existing among veterans, active-duty service members, scientists, providers, businesspersons, and policymakers.