Prevalence of traumatic brain injury in an ED population

The objective of this study was to determine prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in an emergency department (ED) population. Questionnaires were administered to patients in an urban, university, trauma center ED. All respondents provided demographics; patients reporting TBI were asked age at injury, if they experienced loss of consciousness (LOC), mechanism, or if medical attention was sought. Five hundred one patients completed the survey. Forty-one percent reported TBI; 23% had TBI with LOC. Mean age at injury was 21.5 years. Mechanism was evenly distributed among sports, assaults, falls, and motor vehicle crashes (MVC). Medical attention was sought for 61% of injuries. Men were more likely to report TBI (P <.001). Medical attention was more likely if MVC or LOC and less likely in sports-injured patients (all P <.01). Twenty-five percent of patients with TBI sustained repeat injury by the same mechanism. Prevalence of TBI in this population is high. Many occur by mechanisms that potentially are preventable.