title: The burden of traumatic brain injury among adolescent and young adult workers in Washington State.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes injury characteristics and costs of work-related traumatic brain injury (WRTBI) among 16-24 year olds in Washington State between 1998 and 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  WRTBIs were identified in the Washington Trauma Registry (WTR) and linked to workers' compensation (WC) claims data. Medical and time-loss compensation costs were compared between workers with isolated TBI and TBI with other trauma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 273 WRTBI cases identified, most (61.5%) were TBI with other trauma. One-third of WRTBI did not link to a WC claim. Medical costs averaged $88,307 (median $16,426) for isolated TBI cases, compared to $73,669 (median $41,167) for TBI with other trauma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results highlight the financial impact of WRTBI among young workers. Multiple data sources provided a more comprehensive picture than a single data source alone. This linked-data approach holds great potential for future traumatic occupational injury research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TBI among young workers not only involves long-term health and psychological impacts, but is costly as well.
authors.affiliation: Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, UW Box 359960, Seattle, WA 98104 USA. janessa@uw.edu
authors.forename: Janessa M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: Monica S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Vavilala
authors.forename: Frederick P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Rivara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics*; D055815:Young Adult