Objective: Develop and validate a predictive model of the incidence of long-term disability following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and obtain national estimates for the United States in 2003. DATA/METHODS: A logistic regression model was built, using a population-based sample of persons with TBI from the South Carolina Traumatic Brain Injury Follow-up Registry. The regression coefficients were applied to the 2003 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample data to estimate the incidence of long-term disability following traumatic brain injury hospitalization.
Results: Among 288,009 (95% CI, 287,974-288,043) hospitalized TBI survivors in the United States in 2003, an estimated 124,626 (95% CI, 123,706-125,546) had developed long-term disability.
Conclusion: TBI-related disability is a significant public health problem in the United States. The substantial incidence suggests the need for comprehensive rehabilitative care and services to maximize the potential of persons with TBI.