National Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics
Approximately 2 million head injuries occur each year in the United States. Of those, 1.4 million result in a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. This includes around 235,000 brain injuries which are serious enough to require hospitalization, resulting in about 100,000 long-term disabilities. Traumatic brain injuries result in approximately 50,000 American deaths each year. Most brain injuries are mild; the ratio of mild to moderate to severe brain injuries occurring in the U.S. is 8:1:1.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that at least 5.3 million Americans need long-term assistance with daily life as a result of a TBI. Direct medical costs related to TBIs and indirect costs such as lost productivity totaled an estimated $60 billion in the United States in 2000.
Men are twice as likely to suffer a TBI as women. The risk is also highest among young adults, aged 15-24, and among the elderly. African Americans have the highest rate of TBI-related deaths. Statistics further suggest that those in rural areas have higher rates of both serious and fatal traumatic brain injuries.
Falls are the leading cause of TBI, accounting for 28 percent of injuries. Motor vehicle accidents are also a major factor, accounting for an additional 20 percent. When serious brain injuries requiring hospitalization are considered separately, roughly half are the result of motor vehicle accidents. Brain injuries due to car accidents declined by 25 percent between 1984 and 1992; however, brain injuries caused by firearms rose 13 percent over the same period.
Sources:
CDC Traumatic Brain Injury Factsheet
http://www.cdc.gov/TraumaticInjury/tbi_concussion.html
Kraus, J. F, and MacArthur, D. L. (1996) Epidemiologic Aspects of Brain Injury. Neurologic Clinics, 14(2): 435-450.
Gabella, B., Hoffman, R.E., Marine, W.W., & Stallones, L. (1997) Urban and Rural Traumatic Brain Injuries in Colorado. Annals of Epidemiology, 7(3): 207-212.
Sosin, D.M., Sniezek, J.E., & Thurman, D.J. (1996) Incidence of Mild and Moderate Brain Injury in the United States, 1991. Brain Injury, 10(1): 47-54.
Sosin, D.M., Sniezek, J.E. & Waxweiler, R.J. (1992) Trends in Death Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury, 1979 through 1992. Success and Failure. Journal of the American Medical Association, 14:273(22): 1778-1780.
Lewin-ICF (1992) The Cost of Disorders of the Brain, Washington DC: The National Foundation for Brain Research. [Updated figures based on $44 billion in 1988 dollars as estimated by: W. Max, E.J. MacKenzie
& D. P. Rice (1991), Head Injuries: Cost and Consequences. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 6: 76-91]
