Introduction: Work-related traumatic brain injury is a frequent cause of chronic morbidity, mortality, and high treatment costs. Its causes are highly environmentally determined and were affected by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Objective: We aimed to describe traumatic brain injury (TBI) epidemiology in working population and evaluate its modifications during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: We performed a 2-year retrospective epidemiological analysis of TBI patients hospitalized in a tertiary work-related hospital before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results: In the prepandemic period, TBI patients were predominantly men, with a bimodal age distribution. Crash accidents were the leading work-related traumatic brain injury cause. During COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, there was a positive correlation between street traffic and TBI rate, presenting increased motor crash accidents as a cause of TBI.
Conclusions: These results are relevant for planning and focalization of resources for TBI prevention.
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