Poll of SLPs Reveals: Only 19% of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients are Soldiers or Veterans

Specialists Report Increase in Traumatic Brain Injuries, Especially Among Younger Males

New ASHA Poll: Inadequate Insurance Coverage Hinders Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury

Nearly one-third of speech-language pathologists (SLP) surveyed in a new Zogby poll, commissioned by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), report an increase in clients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and these were predominantly in referrals of younger clients. TBI, recently highlighted as an injury of war, is also a major problem among the civilian population. It can result in short or long term impairments and has a greater incidence rate than breast cancer and other well known conditions.

Approximately 1.4 million TBIs, a condition where brain function has been disrupted, occur annually in the U.S. and 5.3 million Americans have a long-term or life long need for help to perform daily activities. Leading causes of TBI are falls (28%), motor vehicle-traffic crashes (19%) and assaults (11%).

65% of polled ASHA members report that inadequate health insurance or benefits are a barrier to optimal recovery. These specialists also feel delayed referrals reflect the failure of other health care providers to identify problems. Meanwhile, the poll shows an increase in case severity, as well as an increase in the number of cases of mild TBI (48%).

According to the CDC

• Males are about 1.5 times more likely as females to suffer TBI
• Most at risk: 0-4 year-olds and 15-19 year-olds
• African Americans have the highest death rate from TBI
• TBI is not curable
• 51,000 victims of TBI die annually
• 1.2 emergency room visits have resulted from TBI
• TBI is the leading cause of death and disability among young adults

TBI Symptoms  include memory loss, slurred speech, reduced rate of mental processing, reduced attention span, involuntary behavioral changes, hearing loss, dizziness, balance problems, and sensitivity to light and sound.

To learn more about traumatic brain injury, speech-language pathology, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association visit www.asha.org .

Visual Elements available:

Interviews:

1. Noma B. Anderson, President, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
2. Patricia Fletcher, Speech Language Pathologist, talks about TBI and how therapy can help victims
3. Jon Weiss, traumatic brain injury patient talks about how he lives and copes with TBI
4. Yvonne Hoffman, traumatic brain injury patient talks about how she lives and copes with TBI

BROLL: Anderson at work, Fletcher at work, Weiss with his wife, Hoffman with pathologist

Available on CNN Newsource Pathfire & CBS Newspath

Satellite Coordinates

SLUG: Specialists Report Increase in Traumatic Brain Injuries

Feed Time: Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Coordinates

Contact: Anne Roberts at (877) 544-8400 (toll-free)

Video provided by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).