Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain injury has become a national epidemic. It is estimated that more that 50,000 Americans die annually from brain injuries and that over 300,000 have injuries severe enough to require hospitalization. Of this group, approximately 80,000 people a year are left with cognitive or behavioral deficits of such a degree as to result in lifelong disabilities. Males aged 14 to 24 years are at highest risk. Community facilities for the rehabilitation of persons with brain injury are limited and in many areas nonexistent. As a result, survivors of brain injury have often been silently and shamefully closeted away in psychiatric institutions or nursing homes.

Because so little has been known about the overall consequence of brain injury to the survivors or what is required for their rehabilitation, the fate of those injured has gone largely unnoticed. For this reason, it has been referred to as the "Silent Epidemic."

Sometime hopefully soon I'm going to be putting a form to be filled out about the person who sustained a TBI. The survivor, a friends, family member, or just an acquiantence could fill it out.

I got something in the email from the Brain Injury Association of America. You have got to read this article! It's cool!

Brief Profile of Traumatic Brain Injury and Disability in Oklahoma
Submitted by: Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma
State Department of Health

The Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health, has collected data on hospitalized and fatal traumatic brain injuries (TBI) since 1992. In 1998, 3002 Oklahomans were hospitalized or died from TBI (rate 95 per 100,000 population). Twenty-seven percent (817/3002) of persons died. The 15-24 age group accounted for 20% of all TBIs. Highest rates were found for persons 65 years and older (185 per 100,000 population) and for 15-24 year olds (129 per 100,000 population). Males outnumbered females 1.6: 1.

Leading causes of all TBIs were motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) (34%), falls (31%), gunshot injuries (10%), and assaults (8%). Gunshot injuries accounted for the highest case-fatality rate (93%) followed by pedestrian (38%), and MVC (31%). Neurosequelae were documented for 22 survivors (4%) hospitalized one day, 38 (7%) 2-3 days, 173 (25%) 4-10 days, 157 (59%) for 11-30 days, and 44 (71%) for persons hospitalized over 30 days. The average hospital stay was 6.1 days (median 3 days/range 1 to 164 days). The percent of survivors discharged to rehabilitation was 12%.

Severity of hospitalized TBIs is scored using the Abbreviated Injury Scale Head Scores: AIS2 = moderate injury, AIS3 = serious injury, AIS4 = severe injury, and AIS5 = critical injury. Severity of injury for the 2,351 hospitalized persons included 52% moderate, 16% serious, 19% severe, and 10% critical injuries.

Alcohol was reportedly involved in 22% of TBIs among persons over 14 years of age; drug use was involved in 9% of cases. Alcohol was involved in 37% of motorcycle-related fatalities and 35% of non-fatal injuries. Thirty-six percent of all MVC fatalities were alcohol related; 24 % of injuries among survivors involved alcohol.

Contributory factors include lack of seatbelt, car seat and helmet use; hazardous environments, lack of protective laws and enforcement; freedom of choice issues; lack of knowledge about TBI and its consequences; and attitudes, misconceptions and fears concerning brain injury.

Prevention is primary, but appropriate prehospital, emergent, and acute care are major determinants of injury severity and long term effects. The secondary conditions of TBI are far more complex, elusive, and difficult to measure. Immediate post-injury cognitive deficits may subside to the extent that memory, attention, and executive judgment become apparent; appropriate rehabilitation and the learning of adaptive skills often prevent permanent disabling conditions. Individual and social responsibility of the survivor and family for their environment is a major factor in living healthfully with TBI.

© Copyright 2006 TBI Raiders Volunteer Service