title: Traumatic brain injury in children in Denmark: a national 15-year study.
abstract: Demographic trends are reported concerning three types of traumatic brain injury (concussions, cranial fractures, and intracranial contusions/haemorrhages) among children in Denmark of ages up to and including 14 years, for a fifteen year period from 1979 through 1993. The data were derived from a national computer-based hospitalization register and include 49,594 children, of whom 60% were boys and 89% had suffered a concussion. Virtually all injuries were the result of accidents. A major finding was that there has been a general decline in the incidence of traumatic brain injuries, especially for boys from 5 to 14 years old, suggesting a degree of success in preventive measures, particularly regarding road safety. The incidence of fatal cases of intracranial contusions/haemorrhages approximately halved over the 15 year period. However, as a proportion of all diagnosed cases, mortality from intracranial contusions/haemorrhages remained fairly constant at about 22%, perhaps because there have been no markedly successful innovations in acute care. Among children surviving a intracranial contusions/haemorrhages, rather considerable numbers were found to have been awarded disability pension at ages under 30.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engberg
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Teasdale
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019992:Databases as Topic; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018868:Insurance, Disability / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control