Meridian Health Neuroscience
Brain Basics · The Kessler Foundation · NJ Neurologists by City · Traumatic Brain Injury to Victory · #TBI Affected Me
Sources: BrainLine.org; The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey
Brain injury has been called the “silent epidemic” because public recognition of it is extremely low despite the staggering number of Americans who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year: Over 2.5 million people.
The effects of brain injury are often invisible to an unknowing observer. Likewise, the visible effects of brain injury – such as physical impairment, behavior issues, and even cognitive deficits – are often not properly attributed to brain injury.
Over 2.5 million people in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year, but only one sixth of them are admitted to hospitals. This number does not include people with acquired brain injuries.
Of the 2.5 million who sustain a TBI each year in the United States:
More than 50,000 die
280,000 are hospitalized
2.2 million are treated and released from an emergency department
The number of people with TBI who are not seen in an emergency department or who receive no care is unknown.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention:
The leading causes of TBI are:
Falls (40.5%)
Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (14.3%)
Struck by/against events (15.5%)
Assaults (10.7%)
Almost half a million (473,947) emergency department visits for TBI are made annually by children aged 0 to 14 years.
It is estimated that 12,000 to 15,000 New Jersey residents sustain brain injuries from traumatic events each year, of which 1000 are fatal.
Approximately 175,000 New Jersey residents currently live with disabilities from traumatic brain injuries.
In recognition of Brain Health Awareness Month, BIANJ has launched the TBI Affected Me campaign at Instagram.com/BrainInjuryAllianceOfNJ. People affected by brain injury, directly or indirectly, are encouraged to submit photos and their stories to Instagram and include the hashtag #TBIaffectedMe.
Brain Injury Alliance of NJ Annual Gala March 31