Missouri 2018 Needs Assessment for Traumatic Brain Injury
Every five years, the State of Missouri conducts a needs assessment survey to inform the development of a statewide five-year plan to improve services and supports for individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and their families.
Missouri's 2018 Needs Assessment Survey was conducted with TBI survivors, their families and various medical professionals who provide support and services to TBI survivors.
The study was completed through a collaborative effort between the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHHS), the Brain Injury Association of Missouri, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development. The information from the surveys will be used to create a new five-year Missouri State Plan for the years 2018-2023.
The 2018 Missouri TBI study had a number of interesting findings. For example, in Missouri, the number of TBIs treated in emergency rooms and hospitals is tracked by the Missouri Information for Community Assessment (MICA). This data shows that around 15,000 people are treated for traumatic brain injury each year in Missouri. In 2014, a total of 16,839 people who had a skull fracture or intracranial injuries visited an emergency room. Of these, only 4,824 (29%) received inpatient hospitalization.
As a result, the vast majority of people who sustain a TBI in Missouri go untreated, seek care in another medical setting, or are misdiagnosed. The study notes that, while there is no estimate for unreported TBIs in Missouri, some estimate the national figure for unreported TBIs to be as high as 3 million annually.
Missouri Brain Injury Survivors Report Many Needs
Most TBI survivors who participated in the Missouri study reported that the following areas of their lives got worse after their TBI: psychological status (87.2%), income (85.9%), general health (85.3%), employment (83.7%), interpersonal / social (80.8%), marriage (76.2%), education (66.7%), and living situation (59.3%)
Over half of respondents (54.7%) reported that they want to live in a different place from where they are currently living. Of those, 51.0% wanted to live “independently without assistance” or “in own apartment/home with outside assistance” and about 48% wanted to live with family.
Over a quarter of respondents (27.5%) identified insufficient financial resources as a barrier to their desired living situation, followed by lack of employment (15.6%) and need help coordinating and planning for services (11.2%).
When asked, “Did anyone provide you with information or advise you about services available for people with traumatic brain injury?” less than half of Missouri TBI survivors (44.6%) reported that information had been provided.
Our Kansas City Brain Injury Attorney Can Help
This study provides several data points that confirm what we already know -- those who sustain traumatic brain injuries, whether a concussion or a skull fracture, experience a myriad of difficult symptoms and challenges as they attempt to recover from their brain injuries. As a result, they need the assistance of multi-specialty medical team, which may include: neurologist, neuropsychologist, physical therapist, speech therapist, physical and rehabilitation medicine specialist, psychiatrist, psychologist, occupational therapist, and rehabilitation and behavior therapist.
However, if you or your loved one experienced a traumatic brain injury due to the fault or negligence of another person or company, you also need an experienced brain injury attorney to be a part of your team. Our Kansas City brain injury lawyer stands ready to assist you. Please give us a call at 816-203-0143, or fill out the form below. We are happy to help you as we have helped countless others, whether it is simply answering your questions or providing a free, confidential consultation.
