Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention & the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control released a report that measured and analyzed a number of statistics regarding traumatic brain injuries and those who sustain them. “Data are critical to understanding the impact of this important public health problem. This information can help inform TBI prevention strategies, identify research and education priorities, and support the need for services among those living with a TBI,” the report reads. Here are the highlights:

Estimated Average Annual Number of TBI in the US, 2002-2006:

• 52,000 deaths
• 275,000 hospitalizations
• 1,365,000 emergency department visits

TBI by Age

• Children aged 0 to 4, older adolescents aged 15 to 19 years, and adults aged 65 years and older are more likely to sustain a TBI.
• Adults aged 75 years and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalization and death.

TBI by Sex

• In every age group, TBI rates are higher for males than females.

TBI by External Cause

• Falls are the leading cause of TBI. Rates are highest for children aged 0 to 4 years and adults aged 75 years and older.
• Motor vehicle-traffic injury is the leading cause of TBI-related death. Rates are highest for adults aged 20 to 24 years.

Additional TBI Findings

• There was an increase in TBI-related emergency department visits (14.4%) and hospitalizations (19.5%) from 2002 to 2006.
• There was a 62% increase in fall-related TBI seen in emergency departments among children aged 14 years and younger from 2002 to 2006.