A Traumatic Brain Injury results from an outside force impacting or penetrating the skull which results in damage to the brain. An impact can cause the brain to collide with the inside surface of the skull, while a penetrating object can destroy brain tissue along its path of entry. Either type of TBI can produce brain bleeding, swelling, and bruising.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 18% of TBI related incidents involve children ages 0 to 4, while 22% of TBI hospitalizations involve adults age 75 and up. Males make up the majority of diagnosed Traumatic Brain Injuries at 59%.
The majority of mild to moderate head injuries (also called concussions) are not visible, except for common symptoms exhibited by the injured person:
- Nausea / Vomiting
- Confusion
- Sleepiness
- Abrupt Mood Swings or Irritability
- Memory Loss
- Impaired Vision or Speech
- Balance Difficulties
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Statistics
- Nearly 1,700,000 TBIs occur each year in the US, as standalone injuries or with other injuries
- On average, one person in the US sustains a TBI every 21 seconds
- Of those who experience a civilian traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year:
- 50,000 die
- 235,000 are hospitalized
- 1.1 million are treated and released
- One third of all accident-related deaths are associated with TBI, at least 50,000 people each year
- 75% of all TBIs involve concussions or similar forms of mild TBI
- An average of nearly 470,000 annual emergency department visits consist of children ages 0 to 14 years
- Senior citizens ages 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalization and death over any other age group.
- 5,300,000 people in the US, about 2% of the population, live with disabilities resulting from brain injuries
- Men who are heavy drinkers and/or have been homeless for a long period of time tend to have 400 times the number of head injuries when compared with the general population
- Direct medical costs and indirect costs (such as lost productivity) of TBI are at least $60 billion each year
- The total lifetime costs of treating a person with a TBI are estimated to be between $600,000 to $1.8 million
Tips for Preventing TBI
The US Center for Disease Control and Injury Prevention, as well as the Mayo Clinic, states that many occurrences of TBI can be reduced through basic safety precautions.
- All motorcycle and bicycle riders are advised to wear helmets at all times
- Helmets should also be worn while skateboarding, skiing, and playing contact sports
- Drivers and passengers in motor vehicles are advised to wear seat belts at all times
- Supervise children while swimming. Nobody should run near a pool or pool deck. Only dive into in-ground pools designed to accommodate diving at a designated diving end with a depth of 9 feet or deeper
- To help prevent falls around the home:
- Install handrails in bathrooms
- Place a nonslip mat in the bathtub or shower
- Avoid or remove area rugs
- Install handrails on both sides of staircases
- Keep stairs and walkways free of clutter
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High Hopes for TBI
