Hospital admitted head injury. A prospective study in Trøndelag, Norway, 1979-80

Head injury ranks among the leading causes of disability and death in the prime of life. The purpose of the present prospective investigation was to study head injuries necessitating hospital admission in our region. The characteristics of 1124 such head injuries in Trøndelag in 1979-80 are presented. The annual incidence was 200 per 100 000 inhabitants. Young males were most often affected. The incidence was higher in males than in females in all age ranges. Road traffic accidents were the most common cause of head injury, but home accidents had higher rates of skull fractures and intracranial haematomas. Both lethality and duration of hospitalization increased with age.