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. 2021 Oct 15;70(41):1447-1452.
doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7041a3.

Differences in State Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Deaths, by Principal Mechanism of Injury, Intent, and Percentage of Population Living in Rural Areas - United States, 2016-2018

Jill Daugherty  1 , Hong Zhou  1 , Kelly Sarmiento  1 , Dana Waltzman  1
Affiliations

Differences in State Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Deaths, by Principal Mechanism of Injury, Intent, and Percentage of Population Living in Rural Areas - United States, 2016-2018

Jill Daugherty et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. .

Abstract

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have contributed to approximately one million deaths in the United States over the last 2 decades (1). CDC analyzed National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) mortality data for a 3-year period (2016-2018) to examine numbers and rates of TBI-related deaths, the percentage difference between each state's rate and the overall U.S. TBI-related death rate, leading causes of TBI, and the association between TBI and a state's level of rurality. During 2016-2018, a total of 181,227 TBI-related deaths (17.3 per 100,000 population per year) occurred in the United States. The percentage difference between state TBI-related death rates and the overall U.S. rate during this period ranged from 46.2% below to 101.2% above the overall rate. By state, the lowest rate was in New Jersey (9.3 per 100,000 population per year); the states with the highest rates were Alaska (34.8), Wyoming (32.6), and Montana (29.5). States in the South and those with a higher proportion of residents living in rural areas had higher rates, whereas states in the Northeast and those with a lower proportion of residents living in rural areas had lower TBI-related death rates. In 43 states, suicide was the leading cause of TBI-related deaths; in other states, unintentional falls or unintentional motor vehicle crashes were responsible for the highest numbers and rates of TBI-related deaths. Consistent with previous studies (2), differences in TBI incidence and outcomes were observed across U.S. states; therefore, states can use these findings to develop and implement evidence-based prevention strategies, based on their leading causes of TBI-related deaths. Expanding evidence-based prevention strategies that address TBI-related deaths is warranted, especially among states with high rates due to suicide, unintentional falls, and motor vehicle crashes.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

References

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