ABSTRACT
Within the United Kingdom, trauma is responsible for more deaths in all age groups under the age of 45 years than any other single cause, and head injury is the single most important factor in death due to trauma. Between one third and one half of all deaths due to trauma are due to head injury. In the UK, with a population of approximately 60 million, about 1500 patients per 100000 report to accident and emergency (A&E) departments and some 300 patients per 100 000 are admitted to hospital because of a head injury. Of those admitted to hospital, some 30% are dead in 6 months, 60% are severely disabled, 20% are moderately disabled, 3% are vegetative and some 30% make a good recovery. There is an accumulating population of disabled survivors from head injury, one family in 300 having a member with such a disability.
