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Facts
Magnitude of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and MTBI
TBI
Each year in the United States:
- Approximately 1.5 million Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries, ranging from mild to
severe;3
- 50,000 people die from
TBIs;3
- 230,000 people are hospitalized due to TBIs and
survive;3
- More than 1 million are treated in emergency departments for
TBIs;4
- An estimated $56 billion is spent in direct and indirect costs as a result of all
TBIs;5 and
- 80,000 to 90,000 Americans experience onset of long-term disability from
TBIs.6
MTBI
- Data suggest that as many as 75% of all brain-injured people sustain
MTBIs.7
- MTBIs cost the nation nearly $17 billion each year.6
- An unknown proportion of those who are not hospitalized may experience long-term problems,
such as:2, 8
- Persistent headache,
- Confusion,
- Pain,
- Cognitive and/or memory problems,
- Fatigue,
- Changes in sleep patterns,
- Mood changes, and/or
- Sensory problems such as changes in vision or hearing (post-concussion syndrome).
- In most cases of diagnosed MTBI, the patient recovers
fully.2, 8, 9
- Some research indicates that up to 15% of patients diagnosed with MTBI may have experienced persistent disabling
problems.8, 9
Conceptual Definition of MTBI
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's MTBI Working Group define a case of MTBI as the occurrence of injury to the head arising from blunt trauma or acceleration or deceleration forces with one or more of the following conditions attributable to the head injury:
Any Period of Observed or Self-Reported:
- Transient confusion, disorientation, or impaired consciousness;
- Dysfunction of memory around the time of injury; or
- Loss of consciousness lasting less than 30 minutes.
Observed Signs of
Other Neurological or Neuropsychological Dysfunction, Such As:
- Seizures acutely following injury to the head;
- Irritability, lethargy, or vomiting following head injury, especially among infants and very young children; or
- Headache, dizziness, irritability, fatigue, or poor concentration, especially among older children and adults.
TBIs may include both concussions and contusions. The term “concussion” is used at times interchangeably with the term “mild TBI.” But the category of diagnosed concussions covers a clinical spectrum. Concussion may occur without loss of consciousness. Mild concussion may be present even if there is no external sign of trauma to the head. The Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology defines the spectrum of concussions related to sports injuries as
follows:10
Grade 1 Concussion
Transient confusion, no loss of consciousness, and duration of mental status abnormalities on examination that resolve in less than 15 minutes.
Grade 2 Concussion
Transient confusion, no loss of consciousness, concussion symptoms or mental status abnormalities on examination that last more than 15 minutes.
Grade 3 Concussion
Any loss of consciousness, either brief (seconds) or prolonged (minutes).
Leading Causes of TBI
- Motor vehicle
crashes,5
- Falls,5
- Firearm use,5 and
- Sports/recreational
activities.7
Groups Most at Risk for TBI5
- Adolescents and young adults (ages 15 to 24) and
- Older adults (ages 65 and older)
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