Men Are Three Times More Likely to Die from Brain Injury: Study Finds - Video

A new analysis of U.S. mortality data reveals the disproportionate impact of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) on older adults, males and certain racial and ethnic groups. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Brain Injury, provides a comprehensive analysis of TBI-related deaths across different population groups across the U.S. in 2021. The findings indicate that suicides remain the most common cause of TBI-related deaths, followed by unintentional falls, and specific groups are disproportionately affected by these tragedies.

Men, in particular, were found to be most likely to die from a TBI – more than three times the rate of women (30.5 versus 9.4). The reasons observed were multifactorial and could reflect differences in injury severity following a fall or motor vehicle crash, to the interaction of sex and age – with TBI outcomes in men worsening with age, while postmenopausal women fare better than men of similar age.

Using data from the National Vital Statistics System, the new analysis identified 69,473 TBI-related deaths among U.S. residents during 2021 — an average of 190 deaths per day. The age-adjusted TBI-related mortality rate was 19.5 per 100,000, representing an 8.8% increase from 2020.

Key findings include:

Older adults (75+) had the highest rates of TBI-related deaths, with unintentional falls being the most common cause in this age group.

There were 37,635 TBI-related deaths categorized as unintentional injuries (i.e., motor vehicle crashes, unintentional falls, unintentionally struck by or against an object, other).

30,801 were categorized as intentional injuries (i.e., all mechanisms of suicide and homicide).

Children aged from birth to 17 years accounted for around 4% of TBI-related deaths (2,977).

“While anyone is at risk for getting a TBI, some groups have a higher chance than others of dying from one. We identified specific populations who are most affected. In addition to men, older adults are especially at risk, with unintentional falls being a major cause of TBI-related death. American Indian or Alaska Native people also have higher rates of these fatal injuries,” says lead author Alexis Peterson PhD., of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“These findings highlight the importance of tailored prevention strategies to reach groups who may be at higher risk and the role healthcare providers can play in reducing TBI-related deaths through early intervention and culturally sensitive care.”

Reference: Peterson, A., Thomas, K., & Kegler, S. (2025). Disparities in traumatic brain injury-related deaths—the United States, 2021. Brain Injury, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2024.2415933