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Brain Injury Awareness Month

On Behalf of | Mar 16, 2017 | Brain Injury

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.

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