Impact of COVID-19 social restrictions on trauma presentations in South Australia

Daniel Harris; Daniel Y Ellis; David Gorman; Ngee Foo; Daniel Haustead

doi:10.1111/1742-6723.13680

Impact of COVID-19 social restrictions on trauma presentations in South Australia

Emerg Med Australas. 2021 Feb;33(1):152-154. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.13680. Epub 2020 Nov 8.

Authors

Daniel Harris^{1

2

3

4}, Daniel Y Ellis^{1

2

5

6}, David Gorman^{1

2}, Ngee Foo^{1

2

4}, Daniel Haustead^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Trauma Service, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
² Emergency Department, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
³ Emergency Department, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁴ Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁵ MedSTAR Emergency Medical Retrieval, SA Ambulance Service, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁶ School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 33124718
DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.13680

Abstract

Objective: To review the impact of COVID-19 social restrictions on trauma presentations in South Australia.

Methods: Retrospective database review.

Results: During the period of social restrictions, there was a reduction in presentations of trauma and major trauma by 17% and 33%, respectively. The reduction in presentation rates was due to a large decrease in those aged over 40, with an increase in presentations in those younger than 40. Review by mechanism and location of injury revealed a reduction in road trauma, yet an increase in pedestrian trauma and trauma at home.

Conclusion: Social restrictions alter the characteristics of trauma presentations.

Keywords: COVID-19; emergency; trauma.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
COVID-19 / epidemiology
COVID-19 / prevention & control
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Quarantine* / statistics & numerical data
Retrospective Studies
South Australia / epidemiology
Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology*
Young Adult