Miller: There’s also another question of how good any of those professionals now are at identifying and diagnosing brain injury. It did not include people that, for instance, went to their primary care physician, people who went to urgent care, Zoom care or unfortunately people who just didn’t seek medical care. Kracke: That’s a that’s an interesting number because those are the number of people that the state epidemiologist found that entered the medical system through either the emergency room or inpatient hospital care. Is that a pretty common number? In any given year recently, what do they look like? ![]() At least 13,000 brain injuries that year. Miller: I mentioned the data, the number from the Oregon Health Authority from, a couple of years ago now. Then we have disease processes and processes such as stroke, Alzheimers, Parkinsons. Acquired brain injuries might result from drowning, perhaps from strangulation, which we see a lot with intimate partner violence, domestic violence. They’re injuries that a person will suffer from a fall from a motor vehicle collision, from a sports accident, whatever it might be. Traumatic brain injuries are pretty well known. Kracke: Well sure, in fact, we’ve kind of shifted away from using the word traumatic to describe brain injuries because brain injuries are caused by so many diverse sets of circumstances. Miller: Can you give us a sense for what falls under this, what seems to be a pretty big umbrella of brain injuries or traumatic brain injuries? Welcome back to Think Out Loud.ĭavid Kracke: Thank you very much, Dave. His name is David Kracke and he joins us now. Oregon does have a federally funded Brain Injury Advocate and Coordinator. ![]() Meanwhile, Oregon is one of just 11 states that doesn’t have an established office to coordinate brain injury services or help patients and their caregivers navigate the system. But advocates say the number of people living with the chronic effects of these injuries is much, much higher and those effects can be severe. According to the Oregon Health Authority, more than 13,000 Oregonians suffered brain injuries in 2020. The following transcript was created by a computer and edited by a volunteer:ĭave Miller: This is Think Out Loud on OPB. We talk with him about support services for brain injury patients and their loved ones and efforts to coordinate those services in the state. Joining us is David Kracke, Oregon’s Brain Injury Advocate/Coordinator. As Willamette Week reported recently, the state also lacks sufficient rehab beds for brain injury patients. Oregon is one of 11 states that doesn’t have an established office to coordinate those services and help patients and their caregivers navigate the system. Depending on the severity of the injury, patients may need access to things like employment and housing assistance in addition to medical and therapeutic services. The long-term effects of a brain injury can range from confusion and short-term memory loss to depression, anger issues and lack of impulse control. But advocates say the number of people living with the chronic effects of those injuries is much higher. According to the Oregon Health Authority, more than 13,500 Oregonians suffered a brain injury in 2020.
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