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Research Letter
April 10, 2024

Traumatic Brain Injuries After Falls From Height vs Falls at the US-Mexico Border Wall

Author Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego
  • 2School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego
  • 3Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, Burns and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego
JAMA Surg. 2024;159(6):715-718. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2024.0008

There has been growing interest in the implications of the recent US-Mexico border wall extension for migrant health and local health care systems. Previous studies have associated this 30-ft height extension with increased mortality and incidence of traumatic brain, spine, and cerebrovascular injuries.1-3 Another previous study compared border fall to general population injuries but predated the height extension.4 We aimed to characterize traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and overall care associated with falls at the San Diego, California, border compared with general population falls, to guide future health care and border policies.

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