Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance
Proud to support Brain Injury Awareness Month
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, more than 3.5 million children and adults sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) each year, but the total incidence is unknown. An ABI is any injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. Air ambulance services help get patients in need to the right level of care.
Each March, Brain Injury Awareness Month is all about building awareness and a platform for educating the general public about the incidence of brain injury and the needs of people with brain injuries and their families.
For over 30 years, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) has led the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month by conducting an engaging public awareness campaign in March of each year.
The theme for the 2018 to 2020 campaign is Change Your Mind.
The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center shared the story of former Army Sgt. Wendell Guillermo who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Iraq when his unit was hit by a grenade. Army Sgt. 1st Class Bradley Lee sustained a brain injury during a firefight in Afghanistan.
The compelling recovery story of recovery was featured this Brain Injury Awareness Month through A Head for the Future — a TBI awareness initiative from the Department of Defense (DoD). Watch the video below.
A Head for the Future TBI Champion Wendell Guillermo
BRAIN INJURY FACTS AND STATISTICS
Typical causes of ABI include
- Electric Shock
- Infectious Disease
- Lightning Strike
- Near Drowning
- Oxygen Deprivation (Hypoxia/Anoxia)
- Seizure Disorders
- Substance Abuse
- Toxic Exposure
More than 12 million Americans live with the impact of ABI
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a subset of ABI and is caused by trauma to the brain from an external force.
- At least 2.5 million children and adults sustain TBIs in the U.S. each year:
- 2 million are treated in emergency departments for TBI each year.
- 280,000 are hospitalized for TBI each year.
- 50,000 die because of TBI each year.
- The number of people who sustain TBIs and do not seek treatment is unknown.
- Every 13 seconds, someone in the U.S. sustains a
- One of every 60 people in the U.S. lives with a TBI-related disability.
- Every day, 137 people in the U.S. die because of a TBI-related injury.
There are many causes of TBI
- Falls – 40.5%
- Struck by/against – 15.5%
- Motor vehicle – 14.3%
- Assaults – 10.7%
- Unknown – 19%