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Updated: Aug 20, 2026
Murine Model of Controlled Cortical Impact for the Induction of Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: August 16, 2019
Accuracy of world-wide-web death searches for persons with traumatic brain injury
Michael J Devivo1, Andrea T Underhill, Philip R Fine
1University of Alabama at Birmingham's Injury Contol Research Center, UAB School of Medicine, 35233-7330, USA. devivo@uab.edu
Primary Objective:
Determine (1) the sensitivity of world-wide-web searches for deaths among persons with traumatic brain injuries and (2) factors associated with the likelihood of identifying deceased persons with traumatic brain injuries.
Research Design:
Stratified case series.
Methods And Procedures:
Sequential submission of 371 deceased persons with traumatic brain injuries to a world-wide-web site to determine inclusion in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).
Main Outcomes And Results:
Almost 87% of deceased persons ages 50+ were found, 69.8% of persons ages 30-49 and 34.6% of persons younger than age 30. Other factors influencing the likelihood of finding deceased persons in the SSDI were male gender, white race, being married, knowing the Social Security number and survival of 1+ years post-injury.
Conclusions:
The SSDI provides useful information for mortality studies among persons with traumatic brain injuries, but does a poor job of identifying deaths among younger persons. Sole reliance on the SSDI may result in under-ascertainment of mortality.
