Preface
This second incidence report from the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI) Surveillance System presents the incidence of mortality and morbidity
related to traumatic brain injuries measured by demographic and geographic
variables during the calendar year 1997, and compares results to those of
the baseline year 1994. TBI incidence for the purpose of this report is
defined as an event leading to either hospitalization or death with an injury
to the brain as a sole or contributory cause. The TBI surveillance system
consists of data from multiple sources, which have been linked using probabilistic
matching of records. The hospital discharge (UB-92) file and the single
and multiple cause-of-death files maintained by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) are the sources from which the TBI
statistics are derived. Tables on total incidence of TBI are based on all
three sources of information, while mortality statistics are based on a
linked file of hospitalized deaths from the UB-92 and deaths attributed
to TBI from the death files. Morbidity statistics are based on hospitalization
discharge records (UB-92) submitted to the NJDOH by all acute care facilities
located in New Jersey.
The terms traumatic brain injuries and incidents of TBI are used as
synonyms in this report. Major findings are presented in the highlights.
Results of data analysis are presented in the form of tables, charts,
and text. Appendix A contains population estimates by age, sex, and county
of residence. TBI surveillance case definition, methodology, data problems
and their resolution, and validation studies conducted by the NJDOH are
discussed in the technical notes in Appendix B.
Inquiries should be addressed to the following.
Center for Health Statistics
New Jersey Department of Health
P.O. Box 360, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0360
Telephone: 609-984-6702
Fax: 609-984-7633
Email: sdeshpande@doh.state.nj.us
Web site: www.state.nj.us/health/chs
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