Prevalence of traumatic brain injury in the general adult population: a meta-analysis
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant public-health concern. To understand the extent of TBI, it is important to assess the prevalence of TBI in the general population. However, the prevalence of TBI in the general population can be difficult to measure because of differing definitions of TBI, differing TBI severity levels, and underreporting of sport-related TBI. Additionally, prevalence reports vary from study to study. In this present study, we used meta-analytic methods to estimate the prevalence of TBI in the adult general population. Across 15 studies, all originating from developed countries, which included 25,134 adults, 12% had a history of TBI. Men had more than twice the odds of having had a TBI than did women, suggesting that male gender is a risk factor for TBI. The adverse behavioral, cognitive and psychiatric effects associated with TBI coupled with the high prevalence of TBI identified in this study indicate that TBI is a considerable public and personal-health problem.
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Meta-analytic work has found that 12% of the general population reported at least one TBI over the lifespan.
“Meta-analytic work has found that 12% of the general population reported at least one TBI over the lifespan. 11”
From Traumatic brain injury in homeless and marginally housed individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2020) · cites this paper as [11]
The lifetime prevalence of TBI in homeless and marginally housed individuals is between 2.5-times and 4.0-times higher than estimates in the general population.
“the lifetime prevalence of TBI in homeless and marginally housed individuals is between 2·5-times and 4·0-times higher than estimates in the general population”
From Traumatic brain injury in homeless and marginally housed individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2020) · cites this paper as [11]
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- Authors
- Frost, R. B., Farrer, T. J., Primosch, M., & Hedges, D. W.
- Affiliations
- Brigham Young University (US)
- ORCID
- Farrer, Thomas J.
- Venue
- Neuroepidemiology
- Publisher
- S. Karger AG
- Published
- 2012-12-18
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 154-159
- ISSN
- 0251-5350 (ISSN-L)
- 1423-0208
- OpenAlex
- W2005028667
- Cited by
- 361
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 70 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 0.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroepidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Automotive and Human Injury Biomechanics
- Keywords
- traumatic brain injury, prevalence, adults, sex differences, male sex as risk factor, underreporting, TBI severity, public health burden
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain Injuries, Humans, Population Surveillance, Sex Factors, Prevalence
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