The 30-year study revealed that adults who suffered a head injury had two (2.21) times the rate of mortality than those who did not, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

The study, published by JAMA Neurology on Jan. 23, also found that mortality rates among those with moderate to severe head injuries were almost three (2.87) times higher.

"The implications are that once you have a head injury (or if you are prone to one), your ability to function is compromised — putting you more at [risk] of life-threatening events," said Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

It’s also been linked to long-term health conditions such as late-onset epilepsy, dementia and stroke, the website wrote in a report.

The study specifically investigated head injury patients — from 1987 to 2019 — who are community-dwelling, meaning not hospitalized or in nursing homes.

Researchers also looked into the specific causes of death among participants, which most commonly were cancers, cardiovascular disease and neurologic disorders.