New Delhi, Jan 10 (NationPress) Men are three times more likely to succumb to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared to women, as revealed by a study released on Friday.
The research, which analyzed US mortality statistics from 2021, underscores the uneven effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) on older individuals, males, and specific racial and ethnic communities.
The results, published in the peer-reviewed journal Brain Injury, show that suicides are the leading cause of TBI-related fatalities, followed closely by unintentional falls, with certain demographics facing a greater risk of these incidents.
Men exhibited a significantly higher mortality rate from TBI, experiencing more than three times the fatalities compared to women (30.5 versus 9.4).
“Alongside men, older adults are particularly vulnerable, with unintentional falls being a primary contributor to TBI-related deaths,” stated lead author Alexis Peterson from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The researchers identified multiple factors contributing to TBI-related fatalities, which could include variances in injury severity after falls or vehicle accidents, as well as the interaction of sex and age—indicating that TBI outcomes for men deteriorate with advancing age. Conversely, postmenopausal women tend to fare better than their male counterparts of similar age.
Peterson emphasized the need for customized prevention measures aimed at populations that may be at elevated risk. He also highlighted the essential role of healthcare professionals in mitigating TBI-related deaths through prompt intervention and culturally aware care.
Utilizing data from the National Vital Statistics System, the analysis recorded 69,473 TBI-related fatalities among US residents in 2021, averaging 190 deaths per day. The age-adjusted mortality rate for TBI was 19.5 per 100,000, marking an 8.8 percent increase from the previous year.
