A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Tailored Patient Information and Voluntary Patient-Managed Outpatient Digital Follow-Up as an Adjunct to Standard Treatment According to National Guidelines in Adult Trauma Patients in Norway (The POSTRAUMA Trial).

Trauma is the leading cause of death worldwide in patients aged 1-45 years. Injuries and violence contribute to approximately 10% of all disability-adjusted life years globally. In Norway, approximately 10,000 patients are admitted to hospital annually due to trauma, with 66% being male. The mean age is 43 years for male and 48 years for female, indicating a relatively young patient population compared to other medical cohorts. The socioeconomic and functional implications of trauma are significant. With the expected demographic shift toward an aging population in Norway, the incidence of trauma among older adults is also expected to increase, placing greater demands on in-hospital trauma and rehabilitation services. Socioeconomic status, gender and age have been identified as key predictors of long-term outcomes following trauma, with female and individuals with lower education levels or ongoing compensation claims often reporting poorer outcomes.

While mortality rates are decreasing due to advancements in trauma systems, prevention strategies and medical care, a significant proportion of trauma survivors experience longterm disabilities, reduced quality of life, and difficulties in returning to work. These consequences impose substantial burdens on individuals, families, and society. Considering these issues, a shift in focus is needed-from survival alone to long-term functional recovery and quality of life after trauma.

Severe trauma often requires long-term follow-up, both physically and psychosocially. Traditional follow-up is often fragmented and not tailored to individual needs. Digital patient monitoring and tailored information have the potential to improve patient pathways, but knowledge about how these are experienced by patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals is limited.

This study aims to investigate how early rehabilitation and patient-centred care pathways can improve short and long-term outcomes for trauma patients. The objectives of the POSTRAUMA-trial is to assess the efficacy of a tailored patient information and patient managed outpatient digital follow-up (I-POD), as an adjunct to standard treatment according to the national guidelines in the National Trauma Plan (NTP) among adult trauma patients in Norway. The main research question is whether participants in the intervention group have less disability and improved health-related quality of life 6 months after the accident compared to the control group which receives standard treatment alone?

The latter part of the trial is a qualitative study which will follow the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies (COREQ). SI will through in-dept and semi-structured interviews explore the participants experiences following trauma in general, and more specific to evaluate how the written patient information and digital follow-up was perceived. The SI will encourage the participants to talk about issues regarding this by asking open-ended questions in one-to-one interviews. The illness trajectory framework will be used as a theoretical framework, along with the WHOs International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to ensure that preinjury, physical and biopsychosocial factors are evaluated.