Head Injury | Community Health

A head injury is any injury that results in trauma to the skull or brain, with 1.7 million new cases in the United States each year, and about 3% of these incidents leading to death. The terms traumatic brain injury and head injury are often used interchangeably in the medical literature, covering a broad scope of injuries caused by accidents, falls, physical assault, or traffic accidents. Adults have head injuries more frequently than any age group, resulting from falls, motor vehicle crashes, colliding or being struck by an object, or assaults. Children, however, may experience head injuries from accidental falls or intentional causes, such as being struck or shaken, leading to hospitalization. Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a term used to differentiate brain injuries occurring after birth from injury, from a genetic disorder, or from a congenital disorder. According to the [[cdc|Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]], head injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, with a significant impact on the [[national-institutes-of-health|National Institutes of Health]]'s research priorities. The [[world-health-organization|World Health Organization]] also recognizes the importance of addressing head injuries, particularly in the context of [[road-traffic-safety|road traffic safety]].