Interdisciplinary collaboration in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation: a cross-sectional survey of rehabilitation services.

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of mortality and long-term disability worldwide, requiring coordinated rehabilitation services to address complex and multidimensional needs. Despite widespread endorsement of interdisciplinary rehabilitation models, evidence on how such collaboration is implemented in real-world healthcare settings remains limited. This study examined healthcare professionals' perceptions and experiences of interdisciplinary collaboration in adult TBI rehabilitation in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a convenience sample of 314 healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in rehabilitation settings in Saudi Arabia. The survey assessed professional characteristics, experience with TBI rehabilitation, perceived importance of interdisciplinary practice, collaboration frequency, training exposure, and referral authority. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance with post-hoc comparisons, independent-samples t-tests, and correlation analyses.

RESULTS

Responses to the perceived-importance item were mixed: 157 respondents (50.0%) strongly agreed, and 42 (13.4%) agreed that an interdisciplinary approach is important in adult TBI rehabilitation; 63 (20.1%) were neutral, and 52 (16.6%) disagreed or strongly disagreed. The combined agreement figure was 63.4% (199/314). Perceived importance differed significantly by profession, F(2, 311) = 10.10, p < 0.001, with OTs reporting higher ratings than PTs and SLPs. Collaboration frequency also differed significantly by profession, χ2(8, N = 314) = 25.15, p = 0.0015. Training status was not significantly associated with collaboration frequency, χ2(4, N = 314) = 8.28, p = 0.0819, but was significantly associated with perceived importance, with respondents without prior training reporting higher perceived importance scores, t(312) = -2.68, p = 0.0077. Age was negatively associated with perceived importance, ρ = -0.3885, p < 0.001.

CONCLUSION

Healthcare professionals demonstrated generally positive attitudes toward interdisciplinary TBI rehabilitation; however, profession-specific differences were observed in both perceived importance and reported collaboration frequency. Training status was not associated with more frequent collaboration, suggesting that education alone may be insufficient without workplace systems that support interdisciplinary practice. These findings highlight the need for structured referral pathways, clearer professional roles, and targeted professional-development initiatives to strengthen interdisciplinary rehabilitation for individuals with TBI.