There are about 100 things wrong with this news report including this misleading summary but at least it gives more attention to head injuries:
Women may be more susceptible to concussion, but remain significantly underrepresented within sport and exercise science research. This, leading experts warn, means they often do not get the treatment or aftercare they need following a head injury.
Source: These young female athletes died by suicide. They all had head injuries in common | CNN
From reading this (sample size n=2), you’ll conclude that women are at increased risk of suicide from concussions and it’s because of oppression.
Reminder – I have had 5 knockout blows including a 5″ skull fracture, and one non-knockout blow that left me with “slow brain”, “slow speech” and “brain fog” for almost 3 weeks. For the skull fracture, I was not even x-rayed until 5 days later. After that I spent a period of time vomiting, unable to recognize family members and unable to do basic functions by myself. I was sent home and not hospitalized. I am now told that these symptoms were classic indicators of a brain bleed.
2 of the knockout blows broke bike helmets and other bones.
At no time did any medical professional mention “TBI” to me. Not until I was 58 did I stumble onto a book on TBI that I decided to read. This was the first time I learned about TBI. Two weeks later, a chance encounter changed my life. I was visiting a friend who introduced me to a friend of his – his friend made a joke about people with head injuries (it was funny). I laughed and said “That’s probably me”. He asked me to explain – I told him only about the first 4 of 6 head injuries. He told me he was “amazed that I am standing in front of him on two feet speaking coherently”. Unknown to me, he had PhD in neuropsychology.
This was the first time I learned the seriousness of my past head injuries. Two weeks later I spent 45 minutes with my doctor who reviewed my history – the first time my lifetime of head injuries was ever discussed. I was diagnosed with post traumatic brain injury issues and referred to a neuropsychologist, with whom I spent 5 months. During that period, I was also put on medication (for less than a year).
Two doctors have told me it is remarkable I came through these head injuries so well; one even called me a “miracle” (in 2022). I am very grateful I did so well, despite no treatment and no knowledge of what I was experiencing.
Now, go back and re-read the CNN news report. Each of the athletes who had suffered 1 or more concussions received care from neurologists and care teams at top medical centers. Compare that to my care.
Unfortunately, care for patients with brain injuries has historically ranged from non-existent to poor. It has gotten much better in the past 20 years and sports programs now recognize TBI issues in assessing young athletes return to activities. It is unfortunate that the CNN freelance writer had to spin this issue into a story about the oppression of women athletes who do not get the care they need (when, as described in the article, they were treated by top experts at top medical centers). They did get extensive care – compare that to my non-existent diagnosis and treatment.
There is much more to the story of brain injury treatment than the spin in this “news” report (I hesitate to label it “news”).
