Brain Injury Statistics

Brain Injury Facts for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

TBI is a major cause of death and disability

There were over 69,000 TBI-related deaths in the United States in 2021. That’s about 190 TBI-related deaths every day.

TBIs affect the lives of people of all ages. Anyone can experience a TBI, but data suggest that some groups are at greater risk of dying from a TBI or experiencing long-term health problems after the injury. Examples of groups who are more likely to be affected by TBI, include:

  • Racial and ethnic minorities
  • Service members and Veterans
  • People who experience homelessness
  • People who are in correctional and detention facilities
  • Survivors of intimate partner violence
  • People living in rural areas

TBIs may be missed in older adults

Older adults are more likely to be hospitalized and die from a TBI compared to all other age groups. Still, TBIs may be missed or misdiagnosed in older adults because symptoms of TBI overlap with other medical conditions that are common among older adults, such as dementia.

Healthcare providers should check for signs and symptoms of TBI if an older adult has:

  • Fallen or has a fall-related injury, such as a hip fracture
  • Been in a car crash

This is especially important among older adults who are taking blood thinners, such as:

  • Anticoagulants like warfarin (Coumadin), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and apixaban (Eliquis)
  • Antiplatelet medications like clopidogrel (Plavix), ticagrelor (Brilinta), and acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin)

These medicines may increase the risk for bleeding in the brain following a TBI. Bleeding in the brain after a TBI may put a person at risk for more severe injury or death.

 

References from CDC:

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Report to Congress on traumatic brain injury in the United States: Epidemiology and rehabilitation
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics: Mortality data on CDC WONDER. Available at: https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd.html.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Health disparities and TBI. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/health-disparities-tbi.html.
  4. Daugherty J, Waltzman D, Sarmiento K, Xu L. Traumatic brain injury–related deaths by race/ethnicity, sex, intent, and mechanism of injury — United States, 2000–2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68(46):1050-1056.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and Veterans Administration. Report to Congress on traumatic brain injury in the United States: Understanding the public health problem among current and former military personnel. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2013.
  6. Stubbs J, Thornton A, Sevick J, et al. Traumatic brain injury in homeless and marginally housed individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(1):e19-e32.
  7. Durand E, Chevignard M, Ruet A, Dereix A, Jourdan C, Pradat-Diehl P. History of traumatic brain injury in prison populations: A systematic review. Ann Phys Rehabil. 2017;60(2):95-101
  8. St Ivany A, Schminkey D. Intimate Partner Violence and Traumatic Brain Injury: State of the Science and Next Steps. Fam Community Health. 2016;39(2):129-37.
  9. Chapital A. Traumatic brain injury: outcomes of a rural versus urban population over a 5-year period. Hawaii Med J. 2007 Dec;66(12):318-21.
  10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
  11. Maegele M, Schöchl H, Menovsky T, Maréchal H, Marklund N, Buki A, Stanworth S. Coagulopathy and haemorrhagic progression in traumatic brain injury: advances in mechanisms, diagnosis, and management. Lancet Neurol. 2017 Aug;16(8):630-647.

 

Centers for Disease Control - TBI & Concussion