Epidemiology of head injury.

In western countries injuries are the leading cause of death under the age of 45 years, and in several Third World countries that applies also for ages 5-45 years. Because many injury victims are young, more years of life are lost in males below the age of 65 from trauma than from cardiac and cerebrovascular disease, or from cancer, in the United States, Japan, and several European countries.' Up to half of trauma deaths are due to head injuries but these account for most cases of permanent disability after injury.2 Recognition that head injury is a major health problem has led to sev- eral studies over the past decade to produce epidemiological data in order to devise effec- tive preventive measures, and to plan the most appropriate health care provision both for acute care and the rehabilitation of disabled survivors.