Dear Editor:
The Brain Injury Association of New Jersey (BIANJ) recently commissioned a survey on the public’s perceptions about brain injuries. The findings made it clear that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major, under-recognized public health problem.
Although TBI is a leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults and an increasingly frequent cause of death and disability for older New Jerseyans, those responding to our survey did not realize that brain injuries are more common than a number of high-profile diseases, including HIV/AIDS and breast cancer. Nationally, some 1.5 million people sustain TBIs each year, resulting in 50,000 deaths. HIV/AIDS and breast cancer deaths for 1999 (the latest year for which such data is available,) were 16,273 and 43,700 respectively, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Our survey, conducted by ORC International, revealed that the public’s understanding of brain injury is increasing, but not uniformly. For example, 66 percent of the respondents were accurate in naming motor vehicle crashes as the most common cause of brain injury. But only 36 percent were aware that falls are the second-leading cause. According to a New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services report for 1999, 3,407 people were hospitalized with traumatic brain injuries sustained in transport-related mishaps that year, while 2,894 people were hospitalized with TBIs resulting from falls.
The statistics on fatalities are alarming enough, but brain injuries also pose the threat of emotional, physical and cognitive problems, including short and long-term memory loss and learning difficulties. The combination of these factors and the survey results prompted us to step up our public education efforts in several areas.
Falls are a particular concern and the leading cause of brain injury for senior citizens. BIANJ has developed a program called Heads Up! Seniors: A Fall Prevention Program. We are partnering with county Offices on Aging to disseminate this information to senior centers and clubs. Additionally, a checklist of ways for the elderly to avoid falls is available on the BIANJ website, www.bianj.org (click on Prevention/Current Programs/Heads Up! Seniors). Details of our other education programs also can be found on the website.We urge your readers to check out this information, as it can help prevent brain injuries. Individuals without Internet access can have their questions about brain injury addressed by calling the Association at 732-738-1002 or the toll-free New Jersey helpline at 800-669-4323.
Barbara Geiger-Parker
Executive Director
Brain Injury Association of New Jersey