Traumatic brain injury is a major cause of hospitalisation,
disability and death in Australia in 2004-05 and was responsible
for at least 22,700 hospitalisations, about 980 deaths in hospital,
and estimated direct hospital care costs of $184 million, according
to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare (AIHW).
Report author Yvonne Helps of the AIHW's National Injury
Surveillance Unit said, 'Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, can occur
when the brain is damaged as a result of a blow to the head.'
The most commonly reported causes of traumatic brain injury were
falls (9,233 or over 40%), transport accident injuries (7,153 or
over 31%) and assault (3,105 or nearly 14%).
The report, Hospital separations due to traumatic brain
injury, Australia 2004-05, looks at all hospitalisations where
traumatic brain injury was involved.
The report found that where traumatic brain injury was the
principal diagnosis; the rates for males were two and a half times
those for females.
'Hospitalisation rates for TBI as the principal diagnosis
remained stable over the period 1999-00 to 2004-05,' Ms Helps
said.
Friday 12 September 2008
Further information: Ms Yvonne Helps, AIHW 08
8201 7623.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for the availability of Hospital separations due
to traumatic brain injury, Australia 2004-05.