Gov. Terry Branstad has signed a proclamation declaring March as Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness (TBI) month.
According to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), more than 17,000 Iowans were hospitalized or seen in emergency rooms because of a TBI and that number does not include the thousands of Iowans who experience brain injury but are not hospitalized.
Falls, motor vehicle crashes and sports injuries are leading causes of TBI, which is often called the “silent epidemic” because many times, the resulting injuries are not visible to others.
“More than 95,000 Iowans are living with long-term disability because of a brain injury,” said IDPH Brain Injury and Disability Program Manager Maggie Ferguson. “These individuals and their families face physical and emotional challenges, and also must overcome misconceptions about their condition and take on the work of long-term recovery.”
A TBI is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI.
The severity of a TBI may range from “mild,” resulting in a brief change in mental status or consciousness to “severe,” such as an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury.
IDPH works with the CDC and the Iowa Advisory Council on Brain Injuries to raise awareness of ways to prevent accidents that can lead to brain injury and to be supportive of TBI survivors and their families.