Alcohol link to 25 percent of traumatic brain injuries

The National Report on Traumatic Brain Injury in the Republic of Ireland 2008 found alcohol, which was likely to increase the severity of the injury, was involved in 24% of injuries.

However, this figure jumps to 80% in assaulted patients admitted to neurosurgery units, of which there are two in the country — Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and CUH in Cork.

The study, a national survey of 2,000 patients carried out over two years, recommended that awareness strategies be put in place to highlight the increased risk of serious injury associated with alcohol use.

It also found the incidence of assaults leading to TBIs are increasing at higher than international levels and recommends that the reduction of assaults be a priority for policymakers.

The report also suggested drug use and its impact on TBIs is an area which needs further exploration due to low documentation.

The study notes only 1.3% of patients are documented as having used recreational drugs even though it is prevalent in society.

It says cocaine use is a risk factor for violent behaviour.

Also important to note it says, is that the locality with the highest cocaine use was the area which referred the highest number of patients to the neurosurgery units.

The family home is highlighted as a common place for injury to occur, with 38% of all TBIs happening there.

It notes that people who spent the most time at home, pre-school children or the elderly, were most often those who suffered an injury.

The report, authored by consultant neurosurgeon Jack Phillips with Beaumont Hospital, states that TBI is the leading cause of death and disability among young people in high-income countries.

Trauma is the leading cause of death in Irish people under 45 and for every traumatic brain injury death at least two other people survive with a permanent disability.

Disability from TBI it says, has unmeasured personal, societal and economic consequences, but that three out of five patients with TBI did not gain access to either of the country’s two neurosurgery units.

Source, The Irish Times, 17/02/2009