Sections
Social Aspects: Introduction | Public Policy and Legislation | Medicaid | Employment | Disability Insurance | Vocational Rehabilitation | Litigation | Conclusion | Key Clinical Points | Recommended
Readings | References
Excerpt
Fifty thousand people die of traumatic brain injury
(TBI) every year in the United States, and over 5 million
TBI survivors are left with permanent disabilities. Most TBI victims
are young, and many survivors require lifelong services (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1999; Langlois et al. 2006).
These facts highlight a major public health issue that has broad
social as well as clinical implications. This chapter reviews some
of the social implications. Areas to be covered are legislation
affecting TBI patients, advocacy issues, insurance coverage, employment
and vocational rehabilitation services, and litigation. Other important
social aspects of TBI prevention and broader legal issues are covered
in depth in other chapters in this volume (see Chapter 31, The Family
System, Chapter 32, Systems of Care, and Chapter 34, Clinical Legal
Issues).