Incidence of Nonfatal Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Hospitalizations - United States, 2018

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can disrupt normal brain function and result in short- and long-term adverse clinical outcomes, including disability and death, is preventable. To describe the 2018 incidence of nonfatal TBI-related hospitalizations in the United States by sociodemographic characteristics, injury intent, and mechanism of injury, CDC analyzed data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample. During 2018, there were 223,050 nonfatal TBI-related hospitalizations; rates among persons aged ≥75 years were approximately three times higher than those among persons aged 65-74 years, and the age-adjusted rate among males was approximately double that among females. Unintentional falls were the most common mechanism of injury leading to nonfatal TBI-related hospitalization, followed by motor vehicle crashes. Proper and consistent use of recommended restraints (i.e., seatbelts, car seats, and booster seats) and, particularly for persons aged ≥75 years, learning about individual fall risk from health care providers are two steps the public can take to prevent the most common injuries leading to nonfatal TBIs. The findings in this report could be used by public health officials and clinicians to identify priority areas for prevention programs.