[Editorial] Traumatic brain injury in older adults: a neglected challenge

Worldwide, at least 38 million people had a traumatic brain injury in 2021. The greatest burden of injury is faced by older people: disability-adjusted life years (DALYs; a measure of disease burden) are high in older adults (176·5 DALYs per 100 000 at age 60–79 years and 226·3 per 100 000 at age ≥80 years) compared with children (3·9 per 100 000 at age <5 years). However, traumatic brain injuries are preventable, because falls and road traffic incidents are the most frequent causes. Medical care for people with traumatic brain injury can be prolonged, complex, and costly, creating an economic burden for health systems.

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