title: Fatal traumatic brain injury in older adults in Austria 1980-2012: an analysis of 33 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant public health problem. Developed countries report a significant increase of TBI in older adults in the past decades. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in TBI-related mortality in older Austrians (65 years or older) between 1980 and 2012 (33 years) and to identify possible causes for these changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  data from Statistics Austria on mortality in Austria between 1980 and 2012 were screened and data on TBI-related mortality in adults aged 65 and older were extracted and analysed, based on the diagnostic codes of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th and 9th revision. Mortality rates were calculated for 5-year age groups; standardized mortality rates were calculated for the total. Mechanism of injury was analysed for all events, both sexes and individual age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  between 1980 and 2012, 16,204 people aged 65 or older died from TBI in Austria; 61% of these were male. Fatal TBI cases and mortality rates increased in the oldest age groups (80 years or older). Half of the fatal TBI cases were caused by falls, 22% by traffic accidents and 17% by suicides. Rate of fall-related fatal TBI increased and rate of traffic accident-related fatal TBI decreased with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  preventive measures introduced in the past decades in the developed countries have contributed to a decrease in traffic injuries. However, falls in the older population are on the rise, mainly due to ageing of the population, throughout the reported period. It is important to take preventive measures to stop the epidemics of fall-related TBIs and fatalities in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Work, Trnava University, Trnava 91843, Slovakia International Neurotrauma Research Organization, Wien A-1080, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brazinova
authors.affiliation: International Neurotrauma Research Organization, Wien A-1080, Austria Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Trauma Hospital 'Lorenz Boehler', Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mauritz
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Work, Trnava University, Trnava 91843, Slovakia International Neurotrauma Research Organization, Wien A-1080, Austria.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majdan
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Work, Trnava University, Trnava 91843, Slovakia International Neurotrauma Research Organization, Wien A-1080, Austria.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rehorcikova
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology, University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leitgeb
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: age; epidemiology; mortality rate; older people; sex; traumatic brain injury deaths