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Pediatric Trauma and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A 12-Year Comparison in a Level-1 Trauma Center
Gerard A Sheridan1, Matthew Nagle1, Shane Russell1
1Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly decreased pediatric trauma admissions and procedures. Reduced school days correlated with fewer trauma cases, highlighting the impact of school closures on child injury rates.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric trauma research
- Epidemiology of infectious diseases
- Public health policy
Background:
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric trauma rates requires further investigation.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for resource allocation during public health crises.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric trauma admissions and procedures.
- To examine changes in a level-I trauma center in Cork University Hospital, Ireland.
Main Methods:
- Compared pediatric trauma admissions and procedures during a 4-week COVID-19 lockdown with the same periods over the prior 11 years.
- Utilized multivariate regression analysis to control for seasonal variations.
Main Results:
- A total of 545 pediatric patients were included in the study.
- The lowest number of acute pediatric trauma admissions and procedures occurred during the 2020 pandemic lockdown.
- A significant correlation was found between the number of school days and pediatric trauma admissions/procedures, even after controlling for seasonality.
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant reduction in pediatric trauma cases, likely due to school closures.
- An increase in pediatric trauma admissions is expected with the reopening of schools and recreational activities.
- Findings can inform institutions and policymakers in preparing for post-pandemic trauma care needs.
Background:
The effect of COVID-19 on pediatric trauma rates is still largely under investigation. With the potential need to reallocate human and financial resources at this challenging time, it will be useful to have detailed descriptions of the rates of pediatric trauma and understanding of how the pandemic affects these rates.
Questions/Purposes:
We sought to describe the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of acute pediatric trauma admissions and procedures performed in a level-I trauma center in Cork University Hospital, Ireland.
Methods:
We compared the number of acute traumatic pediatric admissions and procedures that occurred during the first 4 weeks of a nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 with that of the same 4-week period in each of the preceding 11 years. Seasonal variables were measured and controlled for using multivariate regression analysis.
Results:
A total of 545 pediatric patients (under 16 years of age) were included. Over 12 years, the lowest number of acute traumatic pediatric admissions and procedures was recorded during the 2020 pandemic. There was a significant correlation between the number of school days and the number of acute traumatic admissions, as well as the procedures performed. The relationship between the number of school days and the number of trauma procedures was evident even when controlling for confounder variables of seasonal variation.
Conclusion:
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the number of acute traumatic pediatric admissions and procedures performed in our level-I trauma center, likely because of a reduction in school days. With the reopening of schools, playgrounds, and sporting events, an increase in pediatric trauma admissions is anticipated. The results of this study can help prepare institutions and regulatory bodies to plan appropriately for this new phase.
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