Brain injury key facts & figures
About brain injury
- One in 45 Australians live with a brain injury (AIHW, 2007)
- Almost three out of four people with a brain injury are under 65 (AIHW, 2007)
- One in four brain injury hospitalisations are people aged 15 – 24 (AIHW, 2021a)
- 2% of all Australians live with a brain injury (Jackson & Hardy, 2011)
Sources:
- ABS (2003). [Australian Bureau of Statistics]. Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Caring in the Community Catalogue Number 4430.0.55.003, Canberra: ABS
- AIHW (2007). [Australian Institute of Health and Welfare]. Disability In Australia: Acquired Brain Injury, Bulletin 55, Canberra: AIHW.
- AIHW (2021a) [Australian Institute of Health and Welfare]. Health service use for patients with traumatic brain injury, Canberra: AIHW, Australian Government.
- Jackson, M., and Hardy, G. (2011). Acquired Brain Injury in the Victorian Prison System. Corrections Research Paper Series, no. 04. Melbourne : Dept. of Justice, 2011.
Impact of brain injury
- 51% of Indigenous Australians between 45-59 report a head injury (Jamieson et al., 2008)
- 42% of adult make prisoners have been diagnosed with brain injury (Jackson & Hardy, 2011)
- 30% of Australians seeking homelessness support have a disability (AIHW, 2022)
- Head injuries from falls in older Australians have doubled in the past decade (AIHW, 2019b)
- Fall related injury is six times more likely to occur in residential aged care than the home (AIHW, 2019b)
Sources:
- AIHW (2007). [Australian Institute of Health and Welfare]. Disability In Australia: Acquired Brain Injury, Bulletin 55, Canberra: AIHW.
- AIHW (2019b) [Australian Institute of Health and Welfare]. The health of Australia’s prisoners 2018. Canberra: AIHW, Australian Government.
- Jackson, M., and Hardy, G. (2011). Acquired Brain Injury in the Victorian Prison System. Corrections Research Paper Series, no. 04. Melbourne : Dept. of Justice, 2011.
- Jamieson, L. M., Harrison, J. E., & Berry, J. G. (2008). Hospitalisation for head injury due to assault among indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, July 1999 - June 2005. Medical Journal of Australia, 188(10), 576–579. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01793.x
Common cause of brain injury
- Falls 39% (AIHW 2021a)
- Transport accidents 31% (AIHW 2021a)
- Assault 12% (AIHW 2021a)
Other causes (Newby et al., 2013):
- Stroke
- Degenerative conditions
- Hypoxia/Anoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain)
- Brain tumours
- Infection or disease
- Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Sources:
- AIHW (2021a) [Australian Institute of Health and Welfare]. Health service use for patients with traumatic brain injury, Canberra: AIHW, Australian Government.
- Newby, G., Coetzer, R., Daisley, A., & Weatherhead, S. (2013). Practical neuropsychological rehabilitation in acquired brain injury : a guide for working clinicians. In Brain injuries series. London: Karnac.
Effects of brain injury
Cognitive (Newby et al., 2013).
Problems with:
- Planning and organising
- Memory function & new learning
- Attention and concentration
- Information processing & flexibility
- Decision-making & problem-solving
- Impaired social cognition
Behavioural (Tyerman, 2018)
- Personality changes
- Identity problems
- Irritability & Anger
- Disinhibition & Impulsivity
- Low motivation and initiation
- Egocentricity & Lack of self-awareness
- Risk of domestic violence
Psychological (Newby et al., 2013)
- Low mood & anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Clinical depression
- Increased suicide risk
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Physical (Newby et al., 2013)
- Mobility and motor impairments
- Fatigue & Sleep problems
- Headaches and pain
- Epilepsy and seizures
- Sensory and perception changes
- Balance and dizziness
- Hearing loss
- Sexual changes
- Communication and speech
- Visual impairments
Social (Newby et al., 2013)
- Changed family relationships
- Barriers to employment & reduced income
- Reduced social support network
Sources:
- Newby, G., Coetzer, R., Daisley, A., & Weatherhead, S. (2013). Practical neuropsychological rehabilitation in acquired brain injury : a guide for working clinicians. In Brain injuries series. London: Karnac.
- Tyerman, A. (2018). Psychological effects of brain injury. Headway Brain Injury Association, UK. https://www.headway.org.uk/media/3999/psychological-effects-of-brain-injury-e-booklet.pdf