Disparities in traumatic brain injury-related deaths — United States, 2023
Congratulations to NASHIA Innovation Center Director Jill Daugherty and Co-authors on the Publication Of:
Disparities in traumatic brain injury-related deaths — United States, 2023.
Traumatic brain injury continues to be a significant cause of death in the United States, but the risk is not the same for everyone. A new study examined the nearly 69,000 TBI-related deaths in 2023 and found important differences by age, sex, race and ethnicity, and cause of injury. Overall, suicide and unintentional falls were the leading contributors to TBI-related deaths, while older adults, males, and American Indian/Alaska Native people experienced the highest rates. The findings also show that the causes of TBI-related deaths vary considerably across different populations. For example, suicide was particularly prominent among many working-age groups, while falls accounted for the vast majority of TBI-related deaths among adults age 75 and older. Understanding these differences can help communities and policymakers identify where prevention efforts and resources are most needed.
Highlights:
Nearly 69,000 TBI-related deaths occurred in the U.S. in 2023 - about 188 deaths every day.
Suicide was the leading contributor, followed by unintentional falls and motor vehicle crashes.
Older adults were particularly affected: people 75 and older had the highest rate of TBI-related death, and adults 65+ accounted for 42.4% of all TBI-related deaths despite making up just 17.7% of the U.S. population.
Men accounted for nearly three-quarters (73.6%) of TBI-related deaths and had a death rate more than three times that of women.
American Indian/Alaska Native people had the highest age-adjusted rate of TBI-related death among racial/ethnic groups examined.
The causes differed substantially by age: among children, homicide, motor vehicle crashes, and suicide were the leading contributors, while falls overwhelmingly drove TBI-related deaths among adults 75+.
There were also notable geographic differences, with several Western states having the highest rates of TBI-related deaths.
NASHIA previously published a map of these data, along with a short guide on the best ways to action them. You can revisit this resource at the link below.
