State-Level Numbers and Rates of Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths by Age, 2014

Objective: To provide state-level traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related emergency department (ED) visit, hospitalization, and death estimates by age group for 2014. Setting and Participants: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Core Violence and Injury Prevention Program and State Injury Indicators-participating states. Design: Cross-sectional. Main Measures: Number and population-based incidence rates of TBI-related ED visits, hospitalizations, and deaths by age group-children and young adults (0-24 years), adults (25-64 years), and older adults (>= 65 years)-in 36 states. Results: South Dakota had the lowest rates of TBI-related ED visits for all age groups-children and young adults: 566.2 (95% CI: 539.2-593.3) per 100 000; adults: 269.2 (95% CI: 253.0-285.4) per 100 000; and older adults: 324.3 (95% CI: 293.4-355.2) per 100 000. Rhode Island had the lowest rate of TBI-related hospitalizations for children and young adults-25.9 (95% CI: 20.7-32.0) per 100 000. The lowest rate of TBI-related hospitalizations among adults and older adults was in Virginia-39.6 (95% CI: 37.7-41.4) per 100 000-and Ohio-129.3 (95% CI: 124.0-134.6) per 100 000-respectively. Maryland had the lowest rate of TBI-related deaths for children and young adults-3.1 (95% CI: 2.3-3.9) per 100 000. Rhode Island had the lowest rate of TBI-related deaths for adults-7.2 (95% CI: 5.2-9.8) per 100 000-and New Jersey had the lowest rate of TBI-related deaths for older adults-29.4 (95% CI: 26.5-32.4) per 100 000. Conclusion: This analysis demonstrated that there are variations in TBI-related ED visits, hospitalizations, and deaths by age. State public health professionals may use these findings to develop state-based strategies to address TBI.