According to a new study released by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, a history of head injury has a big impact on someone’s prognosis as they age. Those who have had a major head injury in the past tend to have a higher risk of early mortality.
The study was conducted looking at a sample of about 13,000 individuals over the course of a 30 year period. They found that those who had suffered a head injury where consciousness was lost during that 30 year period were twice as likely to die prematurely as those that did not suffer a head injury.
It’s been understood for quite some time that a head injury can increase the risk of short term mortality, and this makes sense. A major head injury can lead to impairment, mental health issues, and other health crises. It makes sense that a head injury could increase the likelihood that someone might pass away. The long term impact wasn’t understood quite as well, though.
In this study, 64.6 percent of those that suffered a head injury passed away during the 30 year time period. Of those that did not suffer a head injury, 54.6 percent passed away. This included death from all causes. Overall, if someone suffered a head injury, they were 2.2 times more likely to die.
The median length between the suffering of a major head injury and death during this study was just over 4.5 years. It is important to note that the majority of those involved in the study were community dwelling individuals, meaning that they were not residents at a hospital or another facility. The study attempted to get a good look at the general public and how their health was impacted by head injuries.
The results of this study were published in JAMA Neurology. Hopefully, this study can help doctors to better understand head and brain injuries, and take better steps to treat and care for elderly individuals that suffer one of these accidents. Hopefully, it leads to a better quality of life for those impacted.
Regardless of the difficulties that you or an older loved one might be facing, there is a kind of senior care out there that can help you to meet those needs. Whether it’s a head injury, another disability, or an illness or disease, getting connected to the right service and the right people to meet your needs is important.
One of the best ways to get started with your search is with our free consultation service. Give us a call today to schedule this–you won’t regret it. There’s no cost (it’s free!) and no obligation or high pressure sales. The only thing you have to lose is your time, which we hope will be more than worth the information that we provide during it.
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