Pediatric Dog Bite Injury Trends During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented societal changes, including widespread stay-at-home orders.
• Understanding the impact of these changes on pediatric injuries, specifically dog bites, is crucial for public health.
• Pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) serve as key sites for monitoring injury trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the characteristics of dog bite injuries in patients under 18 years old treated in PEDs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To identify demographic and injury pattern shifts in pediatric dog bites associated with the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• A subanalysis of a cross-sectional study involving 40 PEDs.
• Data collected from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, focusing on patients with ICD-10 codes for dog bites (W54.0XXA).
• Comparison of injury cases before the pandemic (March 17-December 31, 2019) and during the pandemic (March 15-December 31, 2020).

Main Results:

• The proportion of dog bites among all injuries rose during the pandemic (1.6% vs. 1.1%).
• Children aged 5-9 years represented a larger proportion of cases during the pandemic.
• Increased dog bites occurred during daytime hours, with a higher admission rate and more injuries to the head, face, or neck during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric dog bites constituted a significantly higher number and proportion of injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Pandemic-related factors, such as stay-at-home orders, may have influenced dog bite demographics and timing.
• The observed increase in head, face, or neck injuries and higher admission rates suggest more severe pediatric dog bites during the pandemic.