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Vol. 4 | Hitting Restart After Head Trauma

Navigating the blind spots in brain injury recovery

March 30, 2024

 

Let’s talk about ;

something that's been on our minds lately - traumatic brain injuries (or TBI for short). We know… not the most uplifting topic, but hear us out.

TBIs are head injuries that disrupt normal brain function, often caused by nasty falls, vehicle crashes, sports injuries or other blows to the head. And they're a major public health issue around the world - over 60 million new cases occur globally each year. While the common narrative of brain injury might be a sports-related concussion (aka - SRC), SRC’s only make up around 3% of all concussions that present to hospital. This leaves a pretty significant gap in our understandings of what concussion and brain injury look like. And a lot more damage potentially going undetected.

But here's the thing that really gets our attention - studies show that recovery experiences and outcomes for TBI can differ significantly based on gender and ethnicity. For example, research indicates that female TBI survivors tend to have better functional outcomes than males. And certain minority ethnic groups may face higher risks and worse prognoses after a brain injury compared to majority populations. These adverse outcomes include symptoms such as migraines, appetite changes, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and even depression and anxiety.

Why the disparities? Experts point to a range of potential biological, psychological, and social factors at play. But one thing's for sure - dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury is already an uphill battle. Adding on gender and racial inequities? That's a whole extra mountain to climb.

So for this issue, we're going to get raw and real about the journey of TBI recovery. We'll explore some of the unique hurdles faced by women, minorities, and other underserved groups. We'll share insights and information on real-world experiences of brain injury. And we'll shine a light on the latest research that could help level the playing field.

Because at the end of the day, every brain matters. Getting back on your feet after something as life-altering as a TBI is no small feat, no matter who you are. And given the lack of clear and helpful information out there, a little extra information along the way can make all the difference. A study by Pappadis and colleagues (2023) has even indicated that greater health literacy could lead to better health outcomes in TBI patients!

We hope this edition will arm you with some useful insights that may help smooth the road to recovery for you, or someone you know one day.

The MM Crew 💙

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well ;

now it’s time for our favourite part… hearing from you guys!

Our inbox is always open and we’d love to get your thoughts and experiences with brain injury, or even what you wish you knew about brain injury.

While it can be a confronting topic, our review of the information out there gives us hope that scientists are on the right path to correcting the biases in the existing literature, and paving the way for a better understanding of how TBI can affect everyone.

We welcomed a lot of new subscribers recently, and we are so happy to have you here. If you’re enjoying our content, don’t forget to forward it to a friend, or send them our sign up link (https://melonmag.beehiiv.com/) to help spread the word.

Until next time!

The MM Team x

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