Majority of brain traumas called preventable

On average, across Utah, there are five nonfatal traumatic brain injuries a day and one that kills, according to the Utah Department of Health. They result primarily from motor vehicle crashes and falls, and the vast majority are preventable.

Wednesday, the department released a study of traumatic brain injuries, also called TBIs, that occurred from 2000 to 2003. It found that TBIs were nearly twice as common among males as females and that the rate of TBIs in rural Utah is 53 percent higher than in urban Utah.

"We don't believe the numbers are any different today (than the study period)," said Kevin Condra, a spokesman in the Violence and Injury Prevention Program. "The most common are motor vehicles, centering on seat belt use and having children in proper restraints. The next most common are hazards," he said.

Among Utahns 60 and older, the most common cause of TBI is a fall, usually at home. Condra cited loose rugs, clutter around stairways and poorly lighted pathways as among factors contributing to the falls and subsequent brain injuries.

Among younger Utahns, the brain traumas are most common in the 15-24 age group and typically involve a motor vehicle. That includes injuries to motorcyclists who didn't wear helmets and drivers and passengers who were not properly restrained, including children.

The report said that a traumatic brain injury can cause many problems with concentration, memory, judgment and mood; tactile sensation and senses such as vision; and with instability and impulsivity. Some of the effects can last a lifetime.

In a news release accompanying the report, health officials cited two real-life examples of traumatic brain injuries that occurred in 2005 as "typical."

A male, 45, in rural Utah suffered severe head and neck injuries when he crashed his motorcycle into a car. He wasn't wearing a helmet and he was hospitalized, then spent an extended period of time in a rehabilitation facility.

A young man, 19, suffered a severe skull fracture in a single-car rollover. He was hospitalized for more than a month and tests showed marijuana in his bloodstream. He is currently dependent on others for daily care.

Health department data indicates that the cost for hospitalization in each of those cases exceeded $19,000, not counting rehabilitation and any ongoing expenses for daily support services.