Traumatic Brain Injury in Iowa: An Analysis of Core Surveillance Data 2008-2010, August 15, 2012

(2012) Traumatic Brain Injury in Iowa: An Analysis of Core Surveillance Data 2008-2010, August 15, 2012. Public Health, Department of (Health and Human Services, Department of)

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Abstract

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a major public health problem in Iowa. If you asked most people if they knew someone who has sustained a concussion or hit their head in a fall or automobile accident, they would reply “yes”, however if you asked the same person if they knew someone with a TBI, they might respond “no.” Many people do not realize what a TBI is. This report intends to present a picture of the silent epidemic of TBI by using vital records and hospital discharge data to raise awareness among policymakers, researchers and the general public about the magnitude and cost of TBI in Iowa. The purpose of this report is to describe the epidemiology of TBI in Iowa to help guide policy and programming. TBI is a result of an external force which transfers energy to the brain. Stroke is caused by a disruption of blood flow in the brain that leads to brain injury. Though stroke is recognized as the 3rd leading cause of death nationally2, and is an injury that affects the brain it does not meet the definition a traumatic brain injury and is not included in this report.