Societal cost of traumatic brain injury: A comparison of cost-of-injuries related to biking with and without helmet use

• Published in: Brain injury 2015-07, Vol.29 (7-8), p.843-847
• Main Authors: Costa, Camille K., Dagher, Jehane H., Lamoureux, Julie, de Guise, Elaine, Feyz, Mitra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - economics; Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Bicycle; Bicycling; Brain Injuries - economics; Brain Injuries - epidemiology; Brain Injuries - prevention & control; Canada - epidemiology; Cost of Illness; cost of injury; Craniocerebral Trauma - economics; Craniocerebral Trauma - epidemiology; Craniocerebral Trauma - prevention & control; cycling; Disabled Persons - statistics & numerical data; Female; Head Protective Devices - economics; Head Protective Devices - utilization; helmet; Hospital Costs; Hospitalization; Humans; Insurance, Health - economics; Length of Stay - economics; Length of Stay - statistics & numerical data; Male; Motorcycles; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Quebec - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Trauma Centers - economics; Trauma Centers - statistics & numerical data; traumatic brain injury
• ISSN: 0269-9052; 1362-301X
• DOI: 10.3109/02699052.2015.1004758

Objective: The goal of this study is to determine if a difference in societal costs exists from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in patients who wear helmets compared to non-wearers. Methods: This is a retrospective cost-of-injury study of 128 patients admitted to the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) following a TBI that occurred while cycling between 2007-2011. Information was collected from Quebec Trauma Registry. The independent variables collected were socio-demographic, helmet status, clinical and neurological patient information. The dependent variables evaluated societal costs. Results: The median costs of hospitalization were significantly higher (p = 0.037) in the no helmet group ($7246.67 vs. $4328.17). No differences in costs were found for inpatient rehabilitation (p = 0.525), outpatient rehabilitation (p = 0.192), loss of productivity (p = 0.108) or death (p = 1.000). Overall, the differences in total societal costs between the helmet and no helmet group were not significantly different (p = 0.065). However, the median total costs for patients with isolated TBI in the non-helmet group ($22 232.82) was significantly higher (p = 0.045) compared to the helmet group ($13 920.15). Conclusion: Cyclists sustaining TBIs who did not wear helmets in this study were found to cost society nearly double that of helmeted cyclists.