They may seem like mere numbers, but statistics and demographics information can give important information on who is affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) - and possibly shed light on how to prevent brain damage. This article takes a closer look at who is impacted by TBI in an attempt to show the true costs of brain damage to victims, their families, and society at large.
Traumatic Brain Injury: Who Is Affected?
Though studies vary slightly, it is generally accepted that at least 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury each year in the United States. However, this figure only reflects the number of patients who seek treatment at the emergency department of a hospital or other medical facility; the number who do not seek care is unknown. This mystery factor in TBI demographics is of concern since many of the effects of traumatic brain injury can take months or even years to develop and manifest.
Gender
Men have been found to be as much as twice as likely as women to sustain a traumatic brain injury. However likely they are to be affected by brain damage, men have also been found to have better outcomes from TBI treatment. Medical professionals are unsure of the cause for worse brain damage outcomes in female victims; however, it may have to do with sex hormones or differences in brain structure.
Age
The population of brain-injured patients is generally acknowledged to skew towards the young side; in fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the two age groups most likely to suffer a brain injury are aged zero to four and 15 to 19. This is due to a high incidence of falls in the former group and motor vehicle accidents in the latter. Elderly individuals above 75 years of age are also more likely to suffer from traumatic brain injury due to slip and fall injuries connected to the aging process and medications.
What Are The Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury?
There are many causes for traumatic brain injury, but motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of TBI in victims across all age ranges and genders. Firearms and falls follow, but the causes of brain injury change depending on the age group in question. For example, the elderly are almost as likely to sustain TBI after a fall than a motor vehicle accident, while children often sustain TBI from blows to the head in abusive situations. Attempted suicide is an often-overlooked cause of TBI. Alcohol plays a notable role in traumatic brain injury, with figures ranging from 32 to 73 percent of all TBI incidents involving some degree of alcohol abuse. Other causes of TBI include boating, swimming, and occupational accidents.
What Are The Costs of Traumatic Brain Injury?
The most expensive and dramatic effect of TBI is death: out of 1.4 million traumatic brain injury cases per year, at least 50,000 patients die of their injuries. But there are other costs and complications of TBI, one of which is lifetime disability (80,000 of the 1.4 million cases will result in long-term disability). Though it is possible to survive a traumatic brain injury, the onset of disability has other consequences, which include personality changes and resultant family instability, financial insecurity due to the inability to work or hold down a job, and resulting lost productivity and reduced participation in activities of daily living.
Though perhaps nothing can put a dollar value on an individuals loss of independence and daily life skills, there are distinct monetary losses associated with TBI. These include lost wages, inability to work, and social costs such as lost taxes and required state assistance. Some statistics estimate that traumatic brain injury costs the United States over $60 billion per year in combined costs.
If Youve Been Affected by Traumatic Brain Injury
If you or a loved one has experienced the cost of traumatic brain injury, contact an experienced TBI attorney. Your traumatic brain injury lawyer can help you file a lawsuit and obtain the compensation you deserve for lost wages, medical costs, rehabilitation and future medical care.
Recent studies have revealed more harmful damage to the brain than once thought. Researchers tested the effects of a meningitis infection by injecting the disease into mice. Additionally, blood vessels will likely explode when the infection is administered causing brain damage. Researchers are continuing to look into the effects of meningitis as a major cause of TBI, but for now have determined that new treatments are likely needed to treat meningitis-induced TBI.
What is Meningitis?
Meningitis occurs in an individual as an infection of the fluid surrounding a spinal cord and the brain. There are two common forms of meningitis that are often described in the news: bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is often considered a deadly bacteria that can quickly cause brain injury and brain damage including hearing loss and learning disabilities, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). Viral meningitis is listed as "generally less severe" and can be healed without a specific treatment, although research now describes both viral and bacterial meningitis as more harmful to the brain than once thought.
The disease is considered very contagious, although less so than the common cold or flu. The condition, according to the CDC, "exchange of respiratory and throat secretions".
While vaccines exist associated with treating meningitis, it is important to always be aware of signs and symptoms of the condition. The Meningitis Foundation of America described the following symptoms of the condition:
* vomiting
* headache
* drowsiness
* seizures
* high temperatures
* joint pain
* stiff neck
* rash
* sensitivity to light
* infants may have a high-pitched cry, dislike being held while arching back
* pale skin color
* high fever
TBI Side Effects
Unfortunately there are a vast number of side effects and conditions that can develop when a patient suffers from a injury incident. Because TBI varies from patient to patient it is imperative that an individual be diagnosed and treated for a brain injury and its side effects. However, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) reports that the following conditions are common among TBI victims:
* difficulty thinking, reasoning
* memory problems
* problems with sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing
* inability to communicate, express and understand
* behavioral issues, acting out
* increased aggression
* anxiety, depression
* social inappropriateness
* personality changes
* stupor, coma
Living With TBI
Living with such an injury can be a difficult scenario, for both a victim and their support group including friends and family. It is important that an individual who feels they may have suffered from a traumatic brain injury to seek a medical assessment immediately, as a brain injury can worsen if not treated properly.
Additionally, it may be necessary for a TBI victim to receive a free legal consultation from a brain injury attorney in order to develop a TBI lawsuit, which may provide an award of monetary compensation. Due to the expensive costs associated with a brain injury treatment, it may be necessary to develop a brain injury lawsuit.
Both Ben Needles & Peter Kent are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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