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Tom Novack, PhD, UAB Traumatic Brain Injury Model System/Center for Neuro Skills, TBI Resource Guide (page 3 of 3) Page 3 of 3
Demographics
Who experiences TBI? As already noted, many of those injured are young. Three quarters of those injured are males. African-Americans are as likely to be injured as Caucasians and more likely to be injured due to interpersonal violence. Considering that TBI is a young person’s disorder, many of these individuals are single at the time of injury and many are still residing with parents. Only about half of the people experiencing a TBI are employed. Many are still in school and have not had an opportunity to work. Unfortunately, about a fourth of the people experiencing TBI have a history of drug or alcohol abuse. Substance abuse may have been a factor in the injury, such as drinking and driving. Keep in mind that these are the most common cases of TBI. In reality, anyone can have a TBI.
Cause of Injury
What is the cause of TBI? A recent study of emergency department records by the Centers for Disease Control indicated that the leading cause of injury is falls (28%) followed by car crashes (20%) and being struck by an object (19%). However, if you focus only on moderate to severe TBI, such as by following admissions to a neurointensive care unit such as at UAB, the picture is different. In that situation car crashes are the most frequent cause of TBI (60%), followed by gunshot wound (12%), falls (11%), and assault (8%).
Intentionality
Some head injuries are intentional. It is presumed that a motor vehicle crash is unintentional. The cause of an intentional injury could be assault with a blunt instrument or a gun. Attempted suicide is also an intentional injury. People experiencing intentional injury have the same rehabilitation needs as those experiencing unintentional injury, such as in a car crash.
Cost of TBI
The Centers for Disease Control estimates direct medical costs and indirect costs (such as lost time at work) due to TBI to have been $60 billion in 2000. For a mild TBI the cost is estimated at $27-32,000 in the first year. For a moderate to severe TBI the cost skyrockets to $269-408,000 in the first year, all based on costs in the year 2000. If a person survives the first year after a moderate to severe TBI, life expectancy is not significantly diminished. This is why the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 5.3 million Americans, approximately 2% of the population, currently have long-term needs for assistance due to TBI.
Prevention of TBI
How can you prevent a traumatic brain injury?
- Wear a seatbelt! A person not wearing a seatbelt is 8.4 times more likely to sustain a traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness in a car wreck.
- Don’t mix alcohol and driving. Fifty percent of motor vehicle crash fatalities involve alcohol.
- Wear a helmet when you are bicycling or riding an all terrain vehicle. A properly fitted helmet reduces the risk by 85% of having a head injury if you happen to fall off of your bike (Thompson, 1989).
TBI Resources
The Brain Injury Association of America
www.biausa.org
The Alabama Head Injury Foundation
www.ahif.org
The TBI Model System Program
www.ndsc.org
The UAB TBI Model System
www.uab.edu/tbi
The Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Injury Prevention & Control
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/fact_book/factbook.htm
References
Langlois JA, Rutland-Brown W, Thomas KE. Traumatic brain injury in the United States: emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2004.
Thurman D, Alverson C, Dunn K, Guerrero J, Sniezek J. Traumatic brain injury in the United States: a public health perspective. Journal of Head Trauma and Rehabilitation 1999;14(6):602–15.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Traumatic brain injury: hope through research. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; 2002 Feb. NIH Publication No.: 02–158.
Finkelstein E, Corso P, Miller T and associates. The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States. New York (NY): Oxford University Press; 2006.
From University of Alabama at Birmingham. Used with permission. www.uab.edu/tbi.
Comments [4]
my son had a car accident and he sustained epidural /subdural hematoma was home on christmas day, ambulates now, however still has 4/10 neck pain when he turns to his sides, headache intermittently, upper thoracic and lower back pain, and what bothers me most is his balance and disassociation of the memory from recent activities
My son was just in a traumatic accident last friday leaving school and spent the entire weekend in the hospital and only came home today...he lives with his father and this is what I was told. He hit the pavement from a moving vehicle and injured the frontal lobe. if there is anyone who can tell me about this kind of injury first hand as in a Dr. of this kind of injury, please dont' hesitate to write me, or direct me to other helpful sites. thanks, Lisa J.
Very informative! The brain is a very complex organism. Brain trauma can have severe effects on this delicate web of organisms. The brain can be compared to a computer only much more advanced. Overall it still remains a mystery even though we know the various components and their functions. I find the brain to be a fascinating organism.
I was hit in the occipital lobe by a bomb blast and shrapnel during the Vietnam Era. I wonder if there is any researchon the long term effects of shrapnel in the the brain. I am always concerned that another injury like concussion could have severe impact.
May 9th, 2011 8:34pm