Effect of health informatics approaches on concussion symptoms through an app-guided recovery program

This project will leverage and expand the validated HeadCheck application (app) into an app and website to collect data elements predictive of outcome following mTBI across all States and Territories in Australia. Participants will be followed up through their preferred online platform (app or website) to complete a concussion symptom questionnaire on day 1, 3, 7 post injury. At 2 weeks following injury, and then fortnightly until 3 months post injury (or until symptom resolution), participants with persistent symptoms will be prompted to complete questionnaires to assess concussion symptoms and quality of life, as well as reporting if they have returned to their pre-injury levels of physical activity, sport, work and/or study. These same questions will be administered monthly from 3 months following injury for people who are still experiencing concussion-related symptoms until symptom resolution. In Phase 1 of the study (approx. first 12 months of data collection), participants will be treated using the established care pathways in the HeadCheck app. The established care pathways are the tasks and activities that participants are instructed to do within the app based on their symptom severity. An example of the tasks and activities that form part of the established care pathways within the app are 'See a GP/health professional if you feel any of your symptoms are getting worse or you see any of these symptoms: 1. Change in behavious, 2. Vomitnig, 3. Worsening headache, 4. Double vision, 5. Excessive drowsiness', 'Do 1-2 hours of work/study/school at home', 'Do gentle physical activitiy' or 'Read about what to do following a head knock' . Phase 1 data will then be used to inform a revision of the care pathways that will be built into the HeadCheck app and administered to participants in Phase 2 in year 2 of the study. The revised care pathways will be informed by the machine learning analysis of which factors predict symptom resolution, in conjunction with consensus from the AUS-mTBI Steering Committee. An example of a change in the pathway may be for someone who has distinct grouping of vestibular symptoms as a result of their concussion, they may be advised to seek timely input from a vestibular physiotherapist, as well as general advice from their GP. In app analytics will be used to monitor adherence to the activities suggested to participants through the app intervention. The AUS-mTBI Steering Committee consists of: expert researchers in traumatic brain injury, neuroscientists, data scientists, neuropsychologist, sports physicians, people with lived experience of concussion, people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, Emergency Physicians, Occupational Therapists, registry and data linkage experts.