Survey Results: Misconceptions of a Brain Injury
As experts in claiming compensation for individuals who have sustained a head or brain injury, we believe that educating the general public about the seriousness of such injuries can help everyone to approach those with a head injury with compassion. To help people understand the severity of head and brain injuries, we ran a survey to find out the public’s knowledge on the assumptions made about brain injury, the symptoms and the effects.
Head injuries can be extremely serious and can cause long-term debilitation, affecting individuals physically, cognitively, and emotionally, as well as changing the way they communicate and behave. Anyone who has sustained a head injury requires extensive specialist medical treatment and should have a high-quality recovery and rehabilitation plan in place that will provide ongoing care and support.
With one in four of the 1,023 survey respondents knowing someone with a brain injury, you can get an idea of how common these types of injuries are, and it’s important that everyone understands what someone suffering from this type of injury is experiencing.
Five common misconceptions made by survey respondents
We asked respondents to tell us whether a list of statements about head injuries was true or false. While most people gave the correct answers for the majority of the statements, there were some that were answered incorrectly or the respondents admitted to not knowing. These include:
Misconception #1: 53% of respondents didn’t know that recovery from a brain injury is possible beyond the first two years
Truth: It used to be assumed that recovery from a brain injury was only possible within the first year or two. However, inconsistency during the recovery period has become expected, as a person with a brain injury might be able to do something easily one day, but then find it difficult the next. Recovery from a serious head injury can take a lifetime.
Misconception #2: 53% of respondents didn’t know whether a child is more likely to recover from a head injury than an adult
Truth: Many people think that a child’s fast-growing brain can ‘bounce back’ after being injured as they are better able to work around the injury. However, it is not that simple. While the brain may find new ways of doing things after an injury, it means it needs to work harder to make up for it.
Furthermore, an injury may interrupt a child’s developing brain before it is able to pick up important skills, making it difficult for them to go on and adopt these skills. Also, while a child may have appeared to have ‘bounced back’ at first, it can often be difficult to spot symptoms and changes.
Misconception #3: 34% of respondents didn’t know that full recovery from a brain injury is possible
Truth: Around 10-15% of people who have suffered a brain injury may have symptoms for sometime after, or even permanently. Even when symptoms are not present, lasting effects or unexpected complications can be present. This can include:
- Chemical changes in the brain
- Seizures
- Increased risk of stroke
- Increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life
- Increased risk of a second brain injury
Adults aged over 40 often have more difficulty recovering from serious head injuries.
Misconception #4: 32% of respondents didn’t know that people with brain damage are not always fully aware of its effect on their behaviour
Truth: A person with a brain injury may be unaware of changes taking place, and may even deny them if they are pointed out. This is known as ‘lack of insight’. This can be distressing for those with a brain injury as they may not understand why they are being restricted from taking part in certain activities.
It is common for people with a brain injury to have insight for some things but not for others. For example, a person may be aware of their physical injuries but not fully aware of any memory problems.
To find out more about ‘lack of insight’, take a look at this factsheet from Headway.
Misconception #5: 41% of respondents didn’t know that there are other ways to identify a brain injury other than an MRI or CT scan
Truth: MRI and CT scans only show structural injuries of the brain, such as brain bleeds, skull fractures and other forms of acute trauma. Damage such as concussion is a functional injury, meaning it affects how the brain functions, and does not show up on an MRI or CT scan. So while a clear scan can be a good indication of a brain injury, it does not guarantee that there has been no damage.
The full survey data
Are the following statements about brain injury true or false:
| About Brain Injury | True | I don't know | False | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor brain damage doesn't matter much, since people only use part of their brains | 4.22% | 40 | 16.05% | 152 | 79.73% | 755 | 947 |
| It is obvious that someone has brain damage because they look different from people who don't have brain damage | 2.43% | 23 | 7.92% | 75 | 89.65% | 849 | 947 |
| People who have one brain injury are more likely to have a second one | 19.11% | 181 | 53.01% | 502 | 27.88% | 264 | 947 |
| It is possible that a person's personality will change after a brain injury | 88.60% | 839 | 8.66% | 82 | 2.75% | 26 | 947 |
| Children are more likely to recover for a brain injury than adults | 33.37% | 316 | 53.12% | 503 | 13.52% | 128 | 947 |
| Most people with brain damage are not fully aware of its effect on their behaviour | 58.29% | 552 | 31.68% | 300 | 10.03% | 95 | 947 |
| Full recovery from brain injury is possible | 56.28% | 533 | 34.32% | 325 | 9.40% | 89 | 947 |
| Brain damage is always caused by an injury to the head | 6.02% | 57 | 19.75% | 187 | 74.23% | 703 | 947 |
| Everyone who suffers a brain injury loses consciousness | 2.32% | 22 | 23.23% | 220 | 74.45% | 705 | 947 |
| An MRI or CT scan is the only way to identify a brain injury | 36.33% | 344 | 41.71% | 395 | 21.96% | 208 | 947 |
| A concussion is not a brain injury | 12.46% | 118 | 34.32% | 325 | 53.22% | 504 | 947 |
| A brain injury can be diagnosed straight away | 5.49% | 52 | 30.10% | 285 | 64.41% | 610 | 947 |
| People with a brain injury will have lower intelligence than others | 3.27% | 31 | 15.84% | 150 | 80.89% | 766 | 947 |
| People with a brain injury cannot lead a full and productive life | 3.38% | 32 | 11.51% | 109 | 85.11% | 806 | 947 |
| People with a brain injury should be treated differently to others | 4.44% | 42 | 16.26% | 154 | 79.30% | 751 | 947 |
| Recovery from a brain injury is only possible in the first two years | 5.07% | 48 | 53.01% | 502 | 41.92% | 397 | 947 |
True or false - a brain injury can increase the chances of the following conditions:
| True | I don't know | False | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seizures | 81.47% | 765 | 17.57% | 165 | 0.96% | 9 | 939 |
| Strokes | 68.69% | 645 | 28.86% | 271 | 2.45% | 23 | 939 |
| Alzheimer's | 49.84% | 468 | 40.68% | 382 | 9.48% | 89 | 939 |
| Vertigo | 51.86% | 487 | 41.00% | 385 | 7.14% | 67 | 939 |
| Dementia | 50.91% | 478 | 40.26% | 378 | 8.84% | 83 | 939 |
| Parkinson's | 41.53% | 390 | 46.54% | 437 | 11.93% | 112 | 939 |
Which of the following are physical symptoms of a brain injury?
| Answer Choices | Responses | |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty sleeping | 50.38% | 468 |
| Persistent headache | 77.83% | 723 |
| Fuzziness of thought | 72.66% | 675 |
| Undue fatigue | 58.13% | 540 |
| Loss of or blurred vision | 75.46% | 701 |
| Lack of awareness | 68.03% | 632 |
| Loss of consciousness | 69.21% | 643 |
| Nausea or vomiting | 68.89% | 640 |
| Sleeping more than usual | 58.77% | 546 |
| Dizziness or loss of balance | 73.63% | 684 |
| Blurred vision | 72.77% | 676 |
| Ringing in the ears | 56.94% | 529 |
| Loss of or altered sense of taste | 57.16% | 531 |
| Loss of or altered sense of smell | 57.59% | 535 |
| Sensitivity to light or sound | 63.94% | 594 |
| I don't know | 12.59% | 117 |
Which of the following are cognitive symptoms of a brain injury?
| Answer Choices | Responses | |
|---|---|---|
| Loss of or altered memory | 77.52% | 714 |
| Loss of or altered learning | 69.92% | 644 |
| Loss of or altered reasoning | 69.16% | 637 |
| Loss of or altered judgement | 69.60% | 641 |
| Loss of or altered attention or concentration | 72.64% | 669 |
| Issues with problem-solving | 69.27% | 638 |
| Issues with multitasking | 66.12% | 609 |
| Issues with organisation | 63.30% | 583 |
| Issues with planning | 63.63% | 586 |
| Issues with decision-making | 67.43% | 621 |
| Issues with beginning or completing tasks | 64.93% | 598 |
| I don't know | 17.92% | 165 |
Which of the following are communication problems caused by a brain injury?
| Answer Choices | Responses | |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty understanding speech or writing | 73.99% | 677 |
| Difficulty speaking or writing | 77.81% | 712 |
| Inability to organise thoughts and ideas | 70.82% | 648 |
| Trouble following and participating in conversations | 69.29% | 634 |
| Trouble with turn-taking or topic selection in conversations | 61.42% | 562 |
| Problems with changes in tone and pitch | 57.16% | 523 |
| Problems expressing emotions, attitudes or subtle differences in meaning | 67.10% | 614 |
| Difficult in understanding nonverbal signals | 62.51% | 572 |
| Trouble reading cues from listeners | 59.34% | 543 |
| Trouble starting or stopping conversations | 58.69% | 537 |
| Inability to use the muscles needed to form words | 63.72% | 583 |
| I don't know | 15.96% | 146 |
Which of the following are behavioural changes experienced by somebody with a brain injury?
| Answer Choices | Responses | |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty with self-control | 68.63% | 628 |
| Lack of awareness of abilities | 68.52% | 627 |
| Risky behaviour | 65.36% | 598 |
| Difficulty in social situations | 69.84% | 639 |
| Verbal or physical outbursts | 69.51% | 636 |
| I don't know | 18.03% | 165 |
Which of the following are emotional changes experienced by somebody with a brain injury?
| Answer Choices | Responses | |
|---|---|---|
| Depression | 74.32% | 680 |
| Anxiety | 73.22% | 670 |
| Mood swings | 76.94% | 704 |
| Irritability | 72.57% | 664 |
| Lack of empathy for others | 62.73% | 574 |
| Anger | 70.71% | 647 |
| Insomnia | 61.64% | 564 |
| I don't know | 16.61% | 152 |
