TBI Surveillance

"The military now has more thorough reporting mechanisms, requiring that anyone affected by a blast or blunt trauma in theater go through an evaluation and screening. We have a single TBI registry and a single point of responsibility – the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center – to consolidate all TBI-related incidents and information.”

Dr. Robert M. Gates
Secretary of Defense

DVBIC is tracking the numbers of service members who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in order to improve care delivery within the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Understanding the scope of the problem in our warrior population is essential to determine the ideal level of response at the local, regional and national level. Specifically, improving the accuracy of statistical information helps to direct existing medical assets, develop and expand educational and clinical resources, and allows for deeper appreciation of the issue by providers and family members alike.

DVBIC began collecting surveillance data on service members who sustained a TBI in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2003. Data was obtained from DVBIC affiliated sites at military treatment facilities, VA hospitals and civilian rehabilitation centers. In 2007, DVBIC was designated as the Office of Responsibility for the consolidation of all TBI-related incidences and prevalence information for the DoD.  Today, DVBIC continues to receive new data on a monthly basis from all service branches.