Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on trauma-related emergency medical service calls: a retrospective cohort study

Azbel, Michael; Heinänen, Mikko; Lääperi, Mitja; Kuisma, Markku

doi:10.1186/s12873-021-00495-3

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The decrease in the trauma category can be explained by the implementation of a semiconfinement that was associated with governmental restrictions such as semiconfinement, home office, school closure, bar and restaurant closures, and recommendations of restriction of many activities such as driving, traveling, or engaging in high risk sports (skiing or mountain biking, for instance). This trend has also been observed in various countries, such as Israel [25] and Finland [26,27]. In Switzerland, a significant decrease in major trauma arriving at the emergency department has been measured during the governmental restriction phases [28].…”

Section: Both Pandemic and Social Distancing Measures Impact Ems Demandsmentioning

confidence: 58%

Not only COVID-19 disease impacts ambulance emergency demands but also lockdowns and quarantines

et al. 2023

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Background The pandemic has impacted both patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and patients who seek emergency assistance due to other health issues. Changes in emergency demands are expected to have occurred during the pandemic, the objective of this investigation is to characterize the changes in ambulance emergency demands during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Vaud State of Switzerland. The goal of this research is to identify the collateral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency demands. To do so, this study quantifies the differences in health issues, level of severity, and patients’ sociodemographic characteristics (age, location, gender) prior to and during the outbreak. Method This is a retrospective, descriptive and comparative statistical analysis of all ambulance emergency missions from 2018 to 2020 (n = 107,150) in the State of Vaud in Switzerland. Variables analyzed were the number of ambulance missions, patient age and gender, health issues, severity (NACA scores), number of non-transports, mission times and locations. Variables were compared between prepandemic and pandemic situations across years and months. Comparative analysis used bivariate analysis, χ2 test, Student’s t test, and Mann‒Whitney U test. Results The pandemic has had two major impacts on the population’s emergency demands. The first appears to be due to COVID-19, with an increase in respiratory distress cases that doubled in November 2020. The second relates to the implementation of lockdown and quarantine measures for the population and the closures of restaurants and bars. These might explain the decrease in both the number of traumas and intoxications, reaching more than 25% and 28%, respectively. An increase in prehospital emergency demands by the older population, which accounted for 53% of all demands in 2020, is measured. Conclusion Collateral effects occurred during 2020 and were not only due to the pandemic but also due to protective measures deployed relative to the population. This work suggests that more targeted reflections and interventions concerning the most vulnerable group, the population of people 65 and older, should be of high priority. Gaining generalizable knowledge from the COVID-19 pandemic in prehospital settings is critical for the management of future pandemics or other unexpected disasters.

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Section: Both Pandemic and Social Distancing Measures Impact Ems Demandsmentioning

confidence: 58%

Not only COVID-19 disease impacts ambulance emergency demands but also lockdowns and quarantines

et al. 2023

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“…Compared to the pre-Covid-19 era, there was a significant reduction between 12.2% and 69.75% of patients presenting to trauma departments [ 40 – 48 ]. Three studies showed no significant reductions of major trauma, defined as an injury severity score (ISS) of greater than 15 [ 42 , 44 , 48 ]. In one study, significantly more polytrauma patients were reported during the Covid-19 period [ 42 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Al, 2021 [ 41 ] Eur J Trauma Emerg Med Retrospective cohort UK During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the associated national lockdown there was a significant reduction in number of trauma admissions. Patients admitted during the Covid-19 pandemic were older, frailer, more co-morbid and had an associated increased risk of mortality Azbel et al, 2021 [ 44 ] BMC Emerg Med Retrospective cohort Finland The societal restrictions imposed by the Finnish government to curb the spread of Covid-19 had a significant effect on the number of EMS calls related to trauma in the capital area. The number of injured patients intoxicated by alcohol decreased significantly and the decrease was temporally related to the lockdown which included the closure of bars and nightclubs Esteban et al 2020 [ 45 ] Bone Join Open Retrospective Spain A marked drop in the total number of visits to our traumatology ED was observed, as well as a relative increase in major injury visits and a relative fall in the minor ones Giudici et al, 2021 [ 46 ] World J Emerg Med Retrospective cohort Italy The emergency lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic in Lombardia led to a reduction of major trauma, especially road-related injuries.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Orthopaedic, trauma surgery, and Covid-2019 pandemic: clinical panorama and future prospective in Europe

Migliorini

Weber

Pappalardo

et al. 2022

Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg

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Purpose This study investigated the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in Europe on consultations, surgeries, and traumas in the field of orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Strategies to resume the clinical activities were also discussed. Methods This systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: the 2020 PRISMA statement. All the comparative studies reporting data on the impact of Covid-19 in the field of orthopaedic and trauma surgery in Europe were accessed. Only comparative clinical studies which investigated the year 2020 versus 2019 were eligible. Results 57 clinical investigations were included in the present study. Eight studies reported a reduction of the orthopaedic consultations, which decreased between 20.9 and 90.1%. Seven studies reported the number of emergency and trauma consultations, which were decreased between 37.7 and 74.2%. Fifteen studies reported information with regard to the reasons for orthopaedic and trauma admissions. The number of polytraumas decreased between 5.6 and 77.1%, fractures between 3.9 and 63.1%. Traffic accidents admissions dropped by up to 88.9%, and sports-related injuries dropped in a range of 59.3% to 100%. The overall reduction of the surgical interventions ranged from 5.4 to 88.8%. Conclusion The overall trend of consultations, surgeries, and rate of traumas and fragility fractures appear to decrease during the 2020 European COVID pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic era. Given the heterogeneities in the clinical evidence, results from the present study should be considered carefully. Level of evidence Level IV, systematic review.

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“… Structural/ Systemic 56 Azbel et. al 68 Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on trauma-related emergency medical service calls: a retrospective cohort study Cohort Patient care reports FL ● During lockdown, there was a 12.2% decrease in the number of weekly total EMS calls. ● There was also a 23.3% decrease in the number of weekly trauma related calls ● There was also a 41.8%.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergency Medical Services Prehospital Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US: A Brief Literature Review

Ventura¹,

Denton²,

David³

et al. 2022

OAEM

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This study aimed to analyze prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the US through a brief systematic review of available literature in context with international prehospital counterparts. An exploration of the NCBI repository was performed using a search string of relevant keywords which returned n=5128 results; articles that met the inclusion criteria (n=77) were reviewed and analyzed in accordance with PRISMA and PROSPERO recommendations. Methodical quality was assessed using critical appraisal tools, and the Egger’s test was used for risk of bias reduction upon linear regression analysis of a funnel plot. Sources of heterogeneity as defined by P < 0.10 or I^2 > 50% were interrogated. Findings were considered within ten domains: structural/systemic; clinical outcomes; clinical assessment; treatment; special populations; dispatch/activation; education; mental health; perspectives/experiences; and transport. Findings suggest, EMS clinicians have likely made significant and unmeasured contributions to care during the pandemic via nontraditional roles, ie, COVID-19 testing and vaccine deployment. EMS plays a critical role in counteracting the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to the worsening opioid epidemic, both of which disproportionately impact patients of color. As such, being uniquely influential on clinical outcomes, these providers may benefit from standardized education on care and access disparities such as racial identity. Access to distance learning continuing education opportunities may increase rates of provider recertification. Additionally, there is a high prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among surveyed nationally registered EMS providers. Continued rigorous investigation on the impact of COVID-19 on EMS systems and personnel is warranted to ensure informed preparation for future pandemic and infectious disease responses.

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Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on trauma-related emergency medical service calls: a retrospective cohort study

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

Not only COVID-19 disease impacts ambulance emergency demands but also lockdowns and quarantines

Not only COVID-19 disease impacts ambulance emergency demands but also lockdowns and quarantines

Orthopaedic, trauma surgery, and Covid-2019 pandemic: clinical panorama and future prospective in Europe

Emergency Medical Services Prehospital Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US: A Brief Literature Review

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