ABSTRACT
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is estimated to result in 275,000 annual hospitalizations as well as 17,000 deaths (Faul et al. 2010) and leave 1.1% of the total U.S. population with long-term disabilities (Zaloshnja et al. 2008). Data from clinical trials show that less than 50% of patients who present with severe TBI will have a favorable outcome a year out from their injury (Myburgh et al. 2008). This large health burden is associated with signicant nancial ramications for patients and society. Indirect costs of TBI have been calculated to total $51.2 billion ($66.3 billion in 2014) in an analysis of data from 2003 (Rutland-Brown et al. 2006). In addition, long-term mortality following TBI has remained relatively unchanged for the past 20 years (Brooks et al. 2013). In children, the decits as a result of injury may be especially important, as they can result in prolonged alterations in cognitive development (Ewing-Cobbs et al. 1997).
