Trajectories of Adolescents after an Acquired Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Perspective on Inequality

Background: Inequalities in health treatment and outcome varies among different socioeconomic groups and is closely related to the relatives of the patient. This is also the case for adolescents (15-30 years old) with a severe acquired brain injury being a vulnerable group due to the young age and the complex and longterm rehabilitation needs.

Purpose of study: This study presents a longitudinal study exploring changes in social networks of adolescents with an acquired brain injury in a rehabilitation trajectory. This in order to understand how social capital can be invested and converted in a rehabilitation process and provide us with knowledge on how this can contribute to our understanding of inequality in Danish Health Care.

Methods/Theory: The empirical data were generated by focus group interviews with and questionnaire surveys of families six months after discharge as well as 1½ years after discharge. The study is theoretically based on Portes’ theoretical trichotomy considering social capital and explored empirically with inspiration of Social Network Analysis.

Findings: We found that the networks of the families were reduced and weakened throughout the period of rehabilitation especially half a year after hospitalisation. Families with a ‘strong closed family structure’ were most successful in transforming their resources during the rehabilitation process, compared to a ‘small and weak family structure’. Those with a ‘split family structure’ struggled the most in this regard.

Conclusion: We conclude, that the possibility of transforming social network to social capital in an illness trajectory is closely linked to socio-economic status/social class and hereby can be related to inequality.