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JAMA. 2002;288:37-38.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

MMWR. 2002;51:303-305

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, resulting in approximately 52,000 deaths, 230,000 hospitalizations, and 80,000 disabilities annually.¹ Among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs), injuries are the second leading cause of death²; however, few published reports concern nonfatal injuries in this population, especially for injuries such as TBI. To describe the causes and impact of TBI among AI/ANs, CDC analyzed Indian Health Service (IHS) hospital discharge data. This report summarizes the results of this analysis, which indicate that prevention strategies should focus on the leading causes of TBI hospitalizations, including motor-vehicle crashes, assaults, and falls.

IHS hospitalization data during 1992-1996 were analyzed. These data contain all hospital discharge records of AI/ANs who received services at an IHS, tribal, or contract hospital. Data were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9-CM).³ TBI cases . . . [Full Text of this Article]