Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury Found To Be Significant U.S. Health Resource Burden

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a substantial contributor to the health resource burden in the U.S. according to a study published in the August issue of Pediatrics. The study was conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) in the Columbus Children's Research Institute at Columbus Children's Hospital.

An analysis was conducted of data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database from January 1 through December 31, 2000, which included 2,784 hospitals in 27 states. Based on these data, there were an estimated 50,658 TBI-associated hospitalizations among children 17 years of age and younger in that year, with 15- to 17-year-old patients accounting for the highest hospitalization rate. TBI includes such diagnoses as skull fractures, intracranial bleeding, concussions, and shaken baby syndrome.

“Based on our research, pediatric TBI patients accrue more than $1 billion in total hospital charges annually,” said CIRP Director Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, the senior author of the study and a faculty member of The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Medicine. “Injury costs for children are often greater than those for adults because they include acute treatment, long-term rehabilitation and loss of productivity for the parent or guardian. TBIs resulting from unintentional trauma constitute the primary cause of death among U.S. youth and are often the most serious consequences of nonfatal injuries.”

The study identifies TBI as one of the top ten most costly hospital inpatient diagnoses for children. Primary prevention of TBI is the preferred means of reducing its impact on hospitals, families and society. Intervention strategies to prevent pediatric TBI and evaluations of these strategies are critical because TBI is especially devastating among children.

“TBI has been referred to as the ‘silent epidemic' because it occurs so frequently, but is inadequately addressed in scholarly research,” said Andrew Schneier, a study co-author with The OSU College of Medicine. “TBI is the most common traumatic event involving the central nervous system, far surpassing traumatic spinal cord injury.”