Nearly one-third of injury deaths in the United States are attributable, in part, to traumatic brain injury, according to a new report (.pdf file) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Using data from 2002 to 2006, the report estimated 52,000 deaths and 275,000 hospitalizations result from TBI annually. Falls are the leading cause, with the highest rates among children younger than 5 and adults 75 and older. Traffic injuries are the second-leading cause of TBI — and the most deadly.
Overall, children from birth to 4 years old, adolescents 15-19, and adults 65 and older are the most likely to suffer a TBI.
