Fact SheetsFact Sheets
The following fact sheets on national issues are available as PDF files for download or printing.
However the fact sheets may not be reproduced without the prior
written permission of BIA. If you have difficulty opening the fact
sheets you may need to install or upgrade Acrobat Reader. You can download Acrobat Reader from the Adobe website.
If you are after further information on the effects of brain
injury, family and carer topics, medical, behavioural or employment
issues, a range of over 100 fact sheets are available from the Brain Injury Association of Queensland website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Inflicted Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injury is the leading cause of death and disability in children who have been abused. Infants are at the greatest risk. The New South Wales Child Death Review Team's 10-year survey of 136 fatal assaults found that children less than 1-year old were sixteen times more likely to die than those aged between 5 and 15.
Read more: Frequently Asked Questions about Inflicted Brain Injury
Homelessness - the statistics
The 1999 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW study) on "The definition, incidence and prevalence of Acquired Brain Injury in Australia" estimated that there were 338,700 Australians who had a disability related to Acquired Brain Injury. Of these, 160,000 were severely or profoundly affected by Acquired Brain Injury thus needing daily support.
Acquired brain injury and homelessness
An acquired brain injury can exacerbate and magnify the risk factors associated with homelessness including family breakdown, loss of social support networks, lack of affordable housing, family violence, unemployment, illness, drug and alcohol use, violence and/or criminal behaviour.
Alcohol, drugs and acquired brain injury
There is a need for increased awareness of acquired brain injury in alcohol and other
drug (A&D) services.
Acquired brain injury and criminal behaviour
Available empirical evidence suggests that damage to the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain is associated with an increase in the potential for aggressive, violent and criminal behaviour.
Acquired brain injury and family violence
Studies have found that in a relationship in which one partner has an acquired
brain injury the chances of marital aggression are increased almost sixfold.
Acquired brain injury - the statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimates that the Australian population amounts to
just under 19 million people. Of those 19 million Australians, the 1998 ABS study on Disability,
Ageing and Carers estimated that there were 3.6 million people with a disability (19% of the
total population).
Acquired brain injury and mental health services
A major disadvantage for people with acquired brain injury is that there is no legislated form of assistance as there is for people with mental illness. Unless people with acquired brain injury have the ongoing support of a good network of family and friends, they find it difficult to obtain any form of assistance. As a consequence, their psychosocial functioning may be effected and many end up living in psychiatric hospitals, boarding houses, prisons and resorting to Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) services.
Training - the BISCIT Project
The aim of the Brain Injury Secondary Consultation Information & Training (BISCIT) project was to ensure that workers providing services to people with Acquired Brain Injury have access to the information, training, and secondary consulting support that they require to work effectively with people who have an acquired brain injury and with their families.
