Traumatic Brain Injury

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a significant issue that can have a wide range of cognitive, physical, and psychological consequences. Additionally, the impacts of TBI go beyond the individual; there are also substantial community, societal and economic burdens, increased emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. In 2016, the Georgia brain and spinal injury registry recorded 27,840 TBI injuries including 20,488 emergency and 7,352 hospital admissions[i]. According to the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission, TBIs cost Georgians over $1.5 billion annually in lost wages and medical costs. Additionally, injuries occurred most frequently among Georgian’s birth to age 39 with the largest group being those aged 10-19. This population made up nearly 21% of all registered traumatic brain and or spinal cord injuries that year[ii]. 

• Traumatic Brain Injury Initiatives through GA Core SVIPP:

  • Return To Play

    • Concussions can occur in any sport or recreation activity. So, all coaches, parents, and athletes need to learn concussion signs and symptoms and what to do if a concussion occurs.

    • Fast Facts:

      • A concussion is a brain injury and all are serious.

      • Most concussions occur without loss of consciousness.

      • Recognition and proper response to concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury or even death.

    • What is a Concussion?

      • A concussion is a type of TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Even a ‘ding’, ‘getting your bell rung,’ or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious[iii].

    • Georgia’s Return-To-Play law passed during the 2013 Legislative session and was signed by Governor Nathan Deal on April 23, 2013. The bill, aimed at protecting the state’s youth from concussion-related injuries, became effective January 1, 2014. Georgia joined 43 other states that passed similar legislation.

    • Components of Georgia’s Return-To-Play Law

      • Age: youth athletes 7 years of age to under 19 years of age

      • For: Boards of Education, Administrators of non-public schools, and governing bodies of charter schools.

        • 20-2-324.1(b) – adopt and implement a concussion management and return to play policy that contains:

          • Before each athletic season, provide to all youth athletes’ parents or legal guardian an information sheet that informs them about the nature and risk of concussion and head injury;

          • If a youth athlete, participating in a youth athletic activity, exhibits symptoms of having a concussion, that athlete will be removed from the activity and be evaluated by a health care provider; and

          • If the youth athlete is diagnosed with a concussion by the health care provider, the coach or other designated personnel will not allow the youth athlete to return to practice/play until the youth athlete receives clearance from a healthcare provider for a graduated or full return to play

        • For: Youth Sports Leagues/Associations/Organizations:

          • 20-2-324-1 (c) – At registration for a youth athletic activity, provide to all youth athletes’ parents or legal guardians an information sheet that informs them about the nature and risk of concussion and head injury. These organizations are also strongly encouraged to establish and implement a concussion management and return to play policy.

    • Recent Research

      • Concussions from Youth Football: Results from NEISS Hospitals Over An 11-Yr.  Time Frame 2002-2012. Orthapedic Journal of Sports Medicine, December 2013

      • Children’s Safety Network (CSN) – Youth Sports Concussion, Research Articles (July 2015).

      • Sports Legacy Institute (SLI) – Research - SLI was founded in 2007 with the goal of supporting Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) research. SLI founders Chris Nowinski and Dr. Cantu began acquiring the brains of former athletes after death for research to learn about the long-term consequences of repetitive trauma.

      • Sports-related concussions and traumatic brain injuries: Research Roundup (Oct. 2014)

      • Concussion at Play: Opportunities to Reshape the Culture Around Concussion from the CDC (August 2015). This report provides a snapshot on the current concussion research pertaining to knowledge, awareness, attitudes and behaviors. This report also describes opportunities to help build a culture in sports where athletes take steps to lower their chances of getting a concussion, recognize concussion symptoms, and report concussion symptoms. This involves moving beyond our general concussion knowledge and changing the way we talk about and respond to concussion. This will empower athletes to not play with a concussion or hide their symptoms. While research is ongoing to help identify the best approach to changing the culture of concussion in sports, there are action steps that coaches, parents, health care providers, and school professionals can take now to help keep young athletes safe and supported as they pursue the sports they love to play.

  • IPV and TBI – project looks at the intersection of TBI and Intimate Partner Violence

Partners include: The Sports Medicine and Concussion Institute, Northside Hospital Duluth and the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (GCADV) member programs

 

[i] Annual Report (2018). Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Commission. Available at https://bsitf.georgia.gov/media-room/2018-annual-report-brain-and-spina…

[ii] Annual Report (2018). Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund Commission. Available at https://bsitf.georgia.gov/media-room/2018-annual-report-brain-and-spina…

[iii] CDC, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Heads Up. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/index.html