Around 13 percent, or one in eight, of older Americans have been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), most likely as a result of falls from ground level.
The findings come from a new study conducted by the University of California–San Francisco and the San Francisco VA Health Care System and highlight the importance of fall prevention in older Americans. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
“The number of people 65 and older with TBI is shockingly high,” Dr. Raquel Gardner, senior author of the study, said in a statement.
Contrary to previous studies, this study’s findings indicated that people who were white, female, healthier, and wealthier were more likely to be diagnosed with a TBI.
Led by Erica Kornblith, the research team followed 9,200 Medicare enrollees whose average age was 75. Just over half were female, and 84 percent were white. After analyzing health care claims, the team found that 64 percent of the women and 89 percent of white people suffered traumatic brain injuries. Furthermore, the researchers noted that traumatic brain injuries were more common among higher-income individuals, while they occurred in just 22 percent of those in the lowest quartile of wealth.
“It’s possible that our findings reflect that adults who are healthier, wealthier, and more active are more able or likely to engage in activities that carry risk for TBI,” Ms. Kornblith said in the release.
Study participants who were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury were less likely to have trouble with activities such as bathing, walking, and getting out of bed. They were also more likely to have normal cognitive function.
“While most TBIs in older people occur from falls at ground level, if you are in a wheelchair or bedbound, you don’t have as many opportunities for traumatic injuries,” Ms. Kornblith said. “It’s also possible that participants with cognitive impairment are more limited in their activity and have less opportunity to fall.”
The researchers noted that the higher incidence of traumatic brain injuries in healthy, wealthy, white women could be a misleading statistic. A 2007 study found that 42 percent of survey respondents didn’t seek medical attention after sustaining a TBI.
“We know that older adults who experience falls, the largest segment of Americans with TBI, as well as lower-resourced adults—including those subjected to racial and ethnic micro-aggressions in a medical setting—are less likely to seek care,” Ms. Kornblith said. “It’s possible that our data did not capture the true burden of TBI in this population.”
Mitigating Risk of Traumatic Brain Injury
While staying active is typically recommended as a way to lower dementia risks, the study’s findings may raise concerns about that advice. However, Dr. Gardner said being active is still more neuroprotective than risky.
“The overall evidence still overwhelmingly sides with physical activity being neuroprotective,” she said. “However, taking measures to optimize safety and mitigate falls is critical. These measures need to change over the life-course as an individual accumulates physical or cognitive disabilities, or both.”
The Alzheimer’s Society notes that physical activity doesn’t have to mean running or playing a sport; it can also mean daily activities such as walking, cleaning, or gardening. The goal is to get the heart rate up for 20 to 30 minutes several times a week.
The organization offers many tips for seniors looking to stay active. Suggestions include choosing an activity you’ll enjoy and adding activities that focus on balance, such as tai chi, Pilates, and yoga. Additionally, the organization recommends participating in group activities, such as a hiking club. Group outings are a great way to connect with people, keeping the body and brain engaged.
Traumatic brain injury is common in older Americans, and it comes with “several negative cognitive and functional outcomes and staggering health care costs,” the researchers noted in the study.