Brain Waves: UAB Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Newsletter Volume 14 | Number 2 | Page 4

TBI INFORMATION SPOTLIGHT
Moderate to Severe TBI is a Lifelong Condition
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and
Rehabilitation Research have released a fact sheet that
outlines the long-term consequences of moderate and
severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). What they found is that
moderate and severe often leads to a lifetime of physical,
cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes.
The fact sheet highlights several health issues faced by
people with moderate to severe TBI. When compared to
people without TBI, for example, people with TBI are:
The fact sheet highlights several areas of concern faced
by people with moderate to severe TBI. When compared
to people without a TBI, for example, people with TBI are:

• 50x more likely to die from seizures.
• 11x more likely to die from accidental drug
poisoning.

• 9x more likely to die from infections.
• 6x more likely to die from pneumonia.
The fact sheet also highlights some concerning
statistics related to a person’s ability to function in their
everyday life with moderate to severe TBI. Of those

persons who are living 5 years after injury:

• 57% are moderately or severely disabled.
• 55% do not have a job (but were employed at the
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time of their injury).
50% return to a hospital at least once.
33% rely on others for help with everyday activities.
29% are not satisfied with life.
29% use illicit drugs or misuse alcohol.
12% reside in nursing homes or other institutions.

The statistics are based on data from the TBI Model
Systems (TBIMS) National Database and shows the
overwhelming need for coordinated, long-term care
can help increased life expectancy and improve health,
function, and quality of life. To this end, the fact sheet
offers a guide on what TBI researchers, federal and state
lawmakers, and healthcare providers can do to better
promote long-term health and well-being.
The TBIMS National Database is a prospective
longitudinal multicenter study that currently captures data
from less than 10% of all persons hospitalized with a TBI
in the U.S.

Memory and Moderate to Severe TBI
Did you know that
there are several types of
“Memory?” There is, and
traumatic brain injury (TBI)
seems to affect some types
memory more than others.
TBI does not usually
affect the long-term memory that was stored in the brain
before the injury. This means most people with TBI can
remember things from their past.
However, short-term memory is often affected by
TBI in one or two ways. Sometimes people with TBI
cannot store new information in their brain, so the have
trouble learning new information. Sometimes they can
learn the new information but cannot easily remember it
without reminders. Some cannot learn or remember new
information. Here are a couple of examples.

• Forgetting important details of a conversation, such
as remembering to pass along a phone message

• Feeling unsure of what you did or said this morning,
yesterday, or last week; this can lead you to say
things or ask the same questions many times

There is prospective memory. This is the “remembering
to remember” type of memory that many people with

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uab.edu/tbi

TBI have, so they might show up at the wrong time for an
appointment or forget to do something that was planned.
Here are a couple of examples.

• Forgetting what you were supposed to do or
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intended to do at home, work, or school or in the
community
Forgetting important occasions, such as birthdays,
holidays, and family events

So why do most people with TBI not remember the
injury itself? And what can people do to help their
memory?
The TBI Model System Knowledge Translation Center
has released a new fact sheet, Memory and Moderate to
Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, that explains the types of
memory and how TBI affects memory. It also provides
strategies to help work around memory problems. It
also offers information on how people with TBI can get
support with work or school if memory is a problem.
Portions of this column were taken from the fact sheet,
Memory and Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.
Go to the website to find this and other fact sheets
offered by the TBI Model System Knowledge Translation
Center.