Educating Our Youth to Prevent Central Nervous System Injuries

Abstract

Traumatic injuries are epidemic in proportion and represent the greatest health hazard in America today. There are 2.3 million hospitalizations each year as a result of trauma and 142,500 deaths. The cost of traumatic injuries to the patient and economy are overwhelming. Treatment and rehabilitation for patients with severe head injuries is approximately $310,000 per patient. Treatment and rehabilitation for patients with quadriplegia is approximately $570,000 per patient. Despite this, only 2% of funding for basic research is used to study trauma. As physicians, the authors not only have a direct interest in injuries that compromise the function of the central nervous system but also are involved in the prevention of these injuries. They also feel a responsibility to provide information to high-risk populations that could prevent such injuries from occurring. Two preventive programs are discussed that specifically address these types of injuries in this population of patients.