March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Facts
- TBI contributes to 30.5% of all injury-related deaths in the U.S.
- Children age 0-4 years, older adolescents age 15-19 years, and adults age 65 and older are most likely to sustain a TBI.
- Children age 0-14 years account for 474,000 emergency room visits for brain injuries per year.
- Adults age 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI hospitalization and death.
TBI by Gender
- In every age group, TBI rates are higher for males than for females.
- Males age 0-4 years have the highest rates of TBI-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths combined.
TBI by Cause
- Falls are the leading cause of TBI. Rates are highest for children age 0-4 years and for adults age 75 and older. Assault accounts for 10% of annual cases.
- Falls result in the greatest number of TBI-related ER visits (523,043) and hospitalizations (62,334)
- Motor vehicle traffic injury is the leading cause of TBI-related death. Rates are highest for adults age 20-24 years.
TBI Prevention
- Always wear a seat belt in a motor vehicle. A small child should always sit in the back seat of a car and be secured in child safety seats or booster seats that are appropriate for their size and weight.
- Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription medications that can impair the ability to drive.
- Wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, skateboard, motorcycle, snowmobile, or all-terrain vehicle. Also wear appropriate head protection when playing contact sports, skiing, skating, snowboarding, or riding a horse.