title: Nationwide epidemiology of hospitalized patients with first-time traumatic brain injury with special reference to prevention.
abstract: The national data of hospitalized TBI-patients were gathered retrospectively during the years 1991-95 from the Hospital Discharge Register. The inclusion criteria were: TBI as the primary diagnosis (ICD-9: 800, 801, 803, 850, 851-854), no history of previous TBI during the previous three years and the hospitalization of the patient. The incidence of TBI varied from 4 793-5 055 (95-100 per 100,000 people), comprising altogether 24,497 patients. The biggest subgroups of external cause were the sudden fall (61%) and vehicle accidents (26%). The biggest subgroups of the place of accident were the home (33%) and the traffic area (30%). The data reflect an assumption that many causes of TBI are preventable.
authors.affiliation: Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, National Association of the Disabled, Koskelantie 22, FIN 00610 Helsinki, Finland. hannu.alaranta@invalidiliitto.fi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alaranta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leppänen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Palomäki
mesh_terms: D000056:Accident Prevention; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors