Lifetime prevalence of traumatic brain injury in a demographically diverse community sample.
Jason Kisser, Shari R Waldstein, Michele K Evans and 1 others
PMID 28326858WHAT IT FOUND
In 2881 Baltimore adults, men were more likely to report lifetime TBI.
Age patterns differed by race and income: young low-income White adults and older low-income African-American adults had higher self-reported prevalence.
Key findings
01The final model retained a significant main effect of sex (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.85-3.03).
02Among White adults below 125% poverty, adults aged 30-36 had greater odds of reported TBI.
03Among African-American adults below 125% poverty, adults aged 58-64 had greater odds of reported TBI.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
TBI history was based on self-reported loss of consciousness, which the authors note has low reliability and validity. No information was collected on the nature, location, or severity of the injury. The analysis was cross-sectional, so it cannot show timing or cause. Nearly 25% of the initial sample did not complete both baseline phases, and participants missing TBI or demographic data were excluded, but the final analysed number is not clearly stated. The sample was limited to adults aged 30-64 in Baltimore, so it may not apply to other ages or places.
Declared interests
The HANDLS study is described as conducted by the National Institute on Aging's Intramural Research Program. The supplied text does not include a separate conflicts-of-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these demographic associations as evidence that any treatment causes or prevents TBI. The study only compared reported head-injury history across groups at one time point, and TBI status came from self-reported loss of consciousness.