TBI Causes and Risk Factors

Traumatic brain injuries contribute to a large number of deaths and permanent disabilities annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 1.4 million Americans sustain TBIs each year, and 50 thousand people die from that injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 5.3 million Americans currently live with a disability related to a TBI. Leading, non-military, causes of TBIs include motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports related events, assaults and shootings. Traumatic brain injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents result in the greatest number of hospitalizations. Motor vehicle accidents are also the number one cause of TBI in people under the age of 75.

Out of the 1.4 million who experience TBIs in the US each year:

• 1.1 million are successfully treated and released
• 230,000 are hospitalized and survive
• 80,000 are diagnosed with long-term disabilities
• 50,000 die

Although head trauma can occur to anyone at any age, there are certain groups who are more susceptible to TBIs. The leading TBI cause for adolescents and adults come from motor vehicle accidents, along with violent crimes and assaults. Infants, toddlers, and elderly people over the age of 75 years old can easily suffer from falls around the home. However, the most vulnerable group to TBIs would be males between the age of 15 and 24, who are 1.5 times more likely to suffer from a head injury than females, due to their high-risk and fast-paced lifestyles. Approximately half of TBI accidents involve the use of alcohol.

Additional Links:
http://mayoclinic.com
www.cdc.gov