CDC looks at incidence of nonfatal TBI-linked hospitalizations in 2018

(HealthDay)—During 2018, there were 223,050 nonfatal traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related hospitalizations, which occurred most often among persons aged 75 years or older, according to research published in the Dec. 3 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Alexis B. Peterson, Ph.D., and Karen E. Thomas, M.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta, used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample to describe the 2018 incidence of nonfatal TBI-related hospitalizations in the United States by sociodemographic characteristics, injury intent, and mechanism of injury.

The researchers noted there were 223,050 nonfatal TBI-related hospitalizations during 2018. The rates were about three times higher for persons aged 75 years or older versus those aged 65 to 74 years, and the age-adjusted rate was about twofold higher for men versus women. The most common mechanism of injury leading to nonfatal TBI-related hospitalization was unintentional falls followed by motor vehicle crashes.

"Among all nonfatal TBI-related hospitalizations, unintentional falls were the leading cause of injury, with half of these hospitalizations occurring among older adults, highlighting the need to intensify prevention efforts for falls, particularly among this age group," the authors write. "The findings in this report could be used by public health officials to support identification of priority areas for TBI prevention programs and groups at increased risk for TBI."