Table 2.
Patient demographic and injury characteristics by TBI type among WRTBI reported in WTR and linked to a closed, compensable State Fund WC claim (N=151).
| Isolated TBI | TBI with other trauma | All TBI | Sig | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of workers | 54 | 97 | 151 | |
|
| ||||
| Age (years, at ED arrival) | 0.40 | |||
| 16–18 | 5 (9.3) | 15 (15.9) | 20 (13.3) | |
| 19–21 | 18 (33.3) | 36 (37.1) | 54 (35.8) | |
| 22–24 | 31 (57.4) | 46 (47.4) | 77 (60.0) | |
| Sex | 0.22 | |||
| Male | 44 (81.5) | 86 (88.7) | 130 (86.1) | |
| Female | 10 (18.5) | 11 (11.3) | 21 (13.9) | |
| Race/ethnicity | 0.87 | |||
| White | 34 (63.0) | 64 (66.0) | 98 (64.9) | |
| Latino/Hispanic (any race) | 8 (14.8) | 16 (16.5) | 24 (15.9) | |
| Other | 2 (3.7) | 4 (4.1) | 6 (4.0) | |
| Missing | 10 (18.5) | 13 (13.4) | 23 (15.2) | |
| Payer | 0.12 | |||
| L&I only | 41 (75.9) | 76 (78.4) | 117 (77.5) | |
| L&I and other insurance | 5 (9.3) | 8 (8.3) | 13 (8.6) | |
| Other government or private insurance | 4 (7.4) | 6 (6.2) | 10 (6.6) | |
| None (self pay, charity) | 3 (5.6) | 0 (0) | 3 (2.0) | |
| Missing | 1 (1.9) | 7 (7.2) | 8 (5.3) | |
| Place of injury | 0.73 | |||
| Industrial | 29 (53.7) | 46 (47.4) | 75 (49.7) | |
| Street/Highway | 11 (20.4) | 19 (19.6) | 30 (19.9) | |
| Other specified | 11 (20.4) | 22 (22.7) | 33 (21.9) | |
| Unspecified/missing | 3 (5.6) | 10 (10.3) | 13 (8.6) | |
| Cause of injury | 0.29 | |||
| Falls | 22 (40.7) | 51 (52.6) | 73 (48.3) | |
| Motor vehicle traffic | 10 (18.5) | 22 (22.7) | 32 (21.2) | |
| Struck by/against object | 10 (18.5) | 8 (8.3) | 18 (11.9) | |
| Machinery | 2 (3.7) | 3 (3.1) | 5 (3.3) | |
| Other | 10 (18.5) | 13 (13.4) | 23 (15.2) | |
| Hospital discharge disposition | 0.12 | |||
| Home | 37 (68.5) | 61 (62.9) | 98 (64.9) | |
| Transfer/other | 13 (24.1) | 26 (26.8) | 39 (25.8) | |
| Expired | 2 (3.7) | 10 (10.3) | 12 (8.0) | |
| Missing | 2 (3.7) | 0 | 2 (1.3) | |
| Injury severity score (ISS) | <0.001 | |||
| 0–8 | 17 (31.5) | 10 (10.3) | 27 (17.9) | |
| 9–15 | 22 (40.7) | 30 (30.9) | 52 (34.4) | |
| 16–24 | 10 (18.5) | 26 (26.8) | 36 (23.8) | |
| 25–75 | 5 (9.3) | 31 (32.0) | 36 (23.8) | 0.69 |
| Maximum Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS) for Head/Neck | ||||
| 1–2 | 32 (33.0) | 15 (27.8) | 47 (31.1) | |
| 3 | 30 (30.9) | 22 (40.7) | 52 (34.4) | |
| 4 | 16 (16.5) | 10 (18.5) | 26 (17.2) | |
| 5–6 | 14 (14.4) | 5 (9.3) | 19 (12.6) | |
| Missing | 5 (5.2) | 2 (3.7) | 7 (4.6) | 0.05 |
| Length of stay (LOS), days | ||||
| 0–1 | 18 (33.3) | 19 (19.6) | 37 (24.5) | |
| 2 | 9 (16.7) | 15 (15.5) | 24 (15.9) | |
| 3–6 | 13 (24.1) | 31 (32.0) | 44 (29.2) | |
| 7–13 | 10 (18.5) | 17 (17.5) | 27 (17.9) | |
| ≥ 14 | 2 (3.7) | 15 (15.5) | 17 (11.3) | |
| Missing | 2 (3.7) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.3) | |
Abbreviations: ED, emergency department; SD, standard deviation; TBI, traumatic brain injury; WC, workers’ compensation; WRTBI, work-related traumatic brain injury; WTR, Washington Trauma Registry.
Frequency counts do not always sum to total because of missing responses or rounding.
Unless otherwise indicated, values are N (%) and significance values indicate results from χ2 tests.