title: Societal cost of traumatic brain injury: A comparison of cost-of-injuries related to biking with and without helmet use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study is to determine if a difference in societal costs exists from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in patients who wear helmets compared to non-wearers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective cost-of-injury study of 128 patients admitted to the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) following a TBI that occurred while cycling between 2007-2011. Information was collected from Quebec Trauma Registry. The independent variables collected were socio-demographic, helmet status, clinical and neurological patient information. The dependent variables evaluated societal costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median costs of hospitalization were significantly higher (p = 0.037) in the no helmet group ($7246.67 vs. $4328.17). No differences in costs were found for inpatient rehabilitation (p = 0.525), outpatient rehabilitation (p = 0.192), loss of productivity (p = 0.108) or death (p = 1.000). Overall, the differences in total societal costs between the helmet and no helmet group were not significantly different (p = 0.065). However, the median total costs for patients with isolated TBI in the non-helmet group ($22, 232.82) was significantly higher (p = 0.045) compared to the helmet group ($13, 920.15).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cyclists sustaining TBIs who did not wear helmets in this study were found to cost society nearly double that of helmeted cyclists.
authors: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Institut de Readaptation Gingras Lindsay de Montreal, University of Montreal , Montreal, Quebec , Canada .
authors: Camille K
authors: CK
authors: Costa
authors: Jehane H
authors: JH
authors: Dagher
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Lamoureux
authors: Elaine
authors: E
authors: de Guise
authors: Mitra
authors: M
authors: Feyz
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001642:Bicycling; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009049:Motorcycles; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Bicycle; cost of injury; cycling; helmet; traumatic brain injury