Prevalence of traumatic brain injury among children, adolescents and young adults: Prospective evidence from a birth cohort

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the incidence and prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly for infants, children and young adults. Primary objective: The purpose of this study was to provide an accurate estimate of the incidence and prevalence of TBIs for individuals between 0–25 years of age. Method and procedures: A birth cohort of 1265 individuals was used, for which information regarding TBI events, both hospitalized and non-hospitalized, had been recorded. Main outcomes and results: The average incidence for this age group ranged from 1.10–2.36 per 100 per year, with an overall prevalence of ∼30%. The most common source of injury was falls for individuals 0–14 years of age and contact sports and motor vehicle accidents for 15–25 year olds. Approximately one third of the individuals who experienced a TBI went on to have one or more additional injuries. Conclusions: The incidence rates reported here are much higher than those previously found. It is clear that TBIs constitute a major health issue and therefore it is important to have accurate information to enable planning for primary healthcare services and to inform prevention programmes.