DOI: 10.1080/16501970500441690

Objective: To evaluate the burden on families with a family member suffering traumatic brain injury sequelae in Japan. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Family members' burden from the sequelae of traumatic brain injury was estimated by use of willingness-to-pay models and the contingent valuation method. A national survey among 1707 members of the Japan Traumatic Brain Injury Association was conducted by postal questionnaire with open-ended questions. A total of 509 (29. 8%) of the family members responded (405 men and 104 women). Mean age of patients with traumatic brain injury was 33. 4 (SD 14. 3) years and of responding family members 53. 3 (SD 14. 5) years. Results: Willingness-to-pay for the family member's recovery from sequelae of traumatic brain injury (8,694,502 Japanese yen; 79,134 US dollars/year) was similar to that reported for a family member's survival from incurable terminal disease (8,342,953 Japanese yen; 75,934 US dollars/year). Conclusion: The data indicate that family members perceive the burden of a family member with traumatic brain injury sequelae as similar to what would have been caused by an incurable terminal disease.