Concussion diagnoses have risen drastically among American adults and youth, according to a new study released by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
The study found concussion diagnoses increased 43 percent from 2010 through 2015 in the U.S. Additionally, concussion diagnoses rose 71 percent for patients ages 10 to 19 during the same time period. Concussion diagnoses for adults ages 20 to 64 increased 26 percent.
For the study, researchers analyzed medical claims for 936,630 diagnosed concussions suffered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield commercially-insured members from 2010 through 2015.
Here are three other study findings.
1. Patients ages 10 to 19 see the most concussion diagnoses in the fall, with the most dramatic increases seen among males, according to the study. Young males in fall see nearly twice the number of concussion diagnoses than young females.
2. The growth of diagnosis rates for young females increased 118 percent compared to a 48 percent increase for young males from 2010 to 2015. Still, young males were diagnosed with 49 percent more concussions than young females.
3. BCBS data in 2015 show that patients ages 10 to 19 in some states have nearly a three times higher rate of concussions diagnosed than in other states. The Northeast experienced higher rates of concussion diagnoses than other regions overall. Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts had the highest rates of concussion diagnoses for patients ages 10 through 19.
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