March is Brain Injury Awareness Month in the United States. Brain trauma is a serious health problem in this country, with more than 3.5 million people suffering a brain injury each year, and about 5.3 million Americans living with the disabling effects of an injury.
To mark the month-long campaign, here are some more facts about brain injury, as provided by the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA):
· Of the 3.5 million brain injuries each year, at least 2.5 million are TBIs, meaning they were caused by a blow to the head and not another cause such as oxygen deprivation. In the U.S., a TBI occurs every 13 seconds on average.
· Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), followed being struck in the head, auto accidents and assaults.
· About 137 Americans die every day of a TBI injury.
· Many more survive, but are frequently disabled; around one in 60 people in the U.S. is living a disability caused by TBI.
Brain injuries affect the victim’s lives most dramatically, but as BIAA notes, a TBI also impacts family members and friends. Often, these people become the caretakers, helping the victim with everyday tasks as he or she attempts to recover.