TBI is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with an estimated 10 million deaths or hospitalizations occurring annually. In the United States, TBI accounts for approximately 1.4 million emergency department visits, hospitalizations, or deaths each year. Despite concerns about the rising burden of TBI, a comprehensive analysis of mortality trends, as well as demographic and regional disparities, remains necessary in the US.

This study analyzed death certificates from the CDC WONDER database, focusing on TBI-related mortality in adults aged 45 and older from 1999 to 2020 using ICD-10 Codes (S02.1, S02.3, S02.7, S02.9, S04, S06). Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) and annual percent changes (APCs) were calculated by year, gender, race, census region, state, and metropolitan status.