Latest News

Abbott and the Brain Injury Association of America are leading the Concussion Awareness Now campaign to raise awareness about the importance of getting concussions checked. Learn from the Melon Family

When someone sustains a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) the result can be a chronic disease or disability that lasts a lifetime. The injury incident or event is not the final outcome, but rather the beginning of a chronic health condition.

Wearing an approved motorcycle helmet has shown to be effective safety equipment to prevent brain injuries and deaths for riders. According to the CDC, helmets reduce the risk of head injuries from motorcycle crashes by 69 percent and deaths by 37 percent. An estimated 60 motorcyclist lives in Missouri were saved by helmet use in 2017. The economic cost savings from motorcycle helmet use for that year in Missouri was more than $100 million.

Thank you for serving our country Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve Military personnel as well as Veterans. Military personnel can experience brain injury from combat connected or civilian life activities through a stroke, fall, car crash, or other incident. TBI is associated with an increased risk of mental health conditions for military personnel.

More than 223,000 non-fatal brain injury-related hospitalizations occurred in 2018. Current leading causes are falls and motor vehicle crashes. Other causes include struck by or against an object, assault and self-harm. Nearly eight percent of brain injuries have an unknown cause.

Approximately 5.3 million Americans are living with a long-term disability resulting from brain injury.

Helmets can prevent 85 percent of bicycle related head and brain injuries. In 2020, 938 bicyclists died on U.S. roads due to accidents, which is why it is important to always wear your helmet. Bicyclists with the most fatalities are individuals between the ages of 60 and 64. Riders between the ages of 15 and 20 have the highest bicycle-related injury rate. Cyclists of all ages at all times, should wear a properly-fitted, approved helmet.

Brain injury costs society more than $1 trillion each year. This includes medical and rehabilitation care, work loss, and quality of life changes.

The rural death rate in Missouri from motor vehicle crashes is more than double the urban rate. Accidents on rural roadways result in more deaths due to curvier roads, higher driving speeds, lower seatbelt use among some age groups, and limited healthcare infrastructure to meet the emergency needs of the person. Seatbelt use saves lives and reduces brain injuries.

Effects from brain injury may include short-term memory loss, difficulty processing information, and shortened attention span. Physical changes may include limited use of arms, legs or hands. Brain injury-related changes can make it more difficult to farm or may keep you from farming. However, modified equipment or alternative methods may be helpful options to support farmers with brain injury.