Department of Health
John J. Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Commissioner

Traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI, is defined as an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force resulting in total or partial disability or impairment. Traumatic brain injury frequently results from motor vehicle crashes or from falls when the head abruptly stops moving and the brain smashes into the hard walls of the skull. Many people with traumatic brain injury do not appear injured. Because the injured brain is not visible to the naked eye, problems with memory, planning and organizational abilities and/or judgment often appear in subtle ways.

• Every 21 seconds, one person in the U.S. sustains a traumatic brain injury.
• More than 50,000 Americans die as the result of traumatic brain injury each year.
• Each year, 80,000 Americans experience the onset of long-term disability following TBI.
• In Tennessee, approximately 6,000 people are admitted to the hospital with a brain injury each year.
• Auto accidents cause 50 percent of all brain injuries; falls account for 28 percent; assaults and violence 7 percent; and 15 percent fall into other categories.
• Young males between the ages of 15 and 24 have the highest rate of injury.

The Traumatic Brain Injury Program was established to address the needs of those individuals who have suffered brain injuries, as well as their family members and primary caregivers. Program staff are available to respond to questions, make referrals, and provide education and prevention programs. The initial contact can be the first link in a chain of support for a survivor or family member. An information clearinghouse and toll-free telephone number provides all Tennesseans with access to current data and information.

For more information about traumatic brain injury, call 1-800-882-0611, contact the Traumatic Brain Injury Program, 5th floor Cordell Hull Building, 425 5th Avenue N., Nashville, Tennessee 37247-5207 or visit the TBI web site.