Columbus, OH — First responders will soon have evidence-based guidance for traumatic brain injury recognition, management and return to work because of research out of Ohio State University.
Sixty experts convened at OSU in late March to build consensus on protocols for six frameworks:
- Workplace policies
- Injury prevention measures
- Challenges of recognizing injuries
- Diagnosis and treatment of injury
- Mental health monitoring
- Steps needed to get a concussed first responder back to work
First responders, scholars and clinicians worked in groups for months before convening March 26-27 to vote on a series of recommended guidelines. The final recommendations and consensus statement are expected to be published early next year in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.
According to a report published by Ohio State News, a meta-analysis of studies suggests that around 60% of law enforcement and corrections officers have experienced at least one TBI over the course of their lives. Among them, 17% have sustained a TBI on the job. Additionally, firefighters have a lifetime TBI likelihood of 62% to 77%.
A 2024 survey of Ohio law enforcement officers found that 74% had a lifetime history of one or more head injuries, while 30% experienced a head injury at work.
In March, each workgroup put forth four to five recommendations for a vote. Common themes of the meeting included:
- Standardizing methods of recognizing and treating TBIs and assessing return-to-duty readiness
- Ensuring no punitive actions are taken against an injured and recovering first responder
- Protecting the head as much as possible during training intended to expose new employees to risks linked to blasts and being hit at work
- Educating agencies, first responders, families and health care providers about TBI risks, prevalence and potential lasting effects when not managed well
“This is a critical step in improving the care and support for our first responders who risk so much for us every day,” Jaclyn Caccese, an associate professor at OSU, says in the report.
