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Characteristics and temporal trends of mobility scooter accidents in the Netherlands: a multicenter cohort study
Zina Stensen1, Annefleur Peters2, Dennis Keereweer3,4
1Department of Emergency Medicine, VieCuri Medical Centre, Venlo, The Netherlands. zina.stensen@live.nl.
Purpose:
Mobility scooters are increasingly used by older individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics and temporal trends of mobility scooter accidents (MSAs) in the Netherlands over a 10-year period using a representative dataset derived from fourteen Emergency Departments (EDs).
Methods:
In this retrospective multicenter cohort study, we analyzed MSA-related ED visits between January 2014 and December 2023, using the Dutch Injury Surveillance System (DISS). Information about age, sex, hospital admission, type and location of injury, mechanism of injury, and operational errors was analyzed. Injury severity was classified using the maximum abbreviated injury score (MAIS). Trend analyses were only performed for ED visits of patients with MAIS2+ injuries.
Results:
In total, 2,702 MSA-related ED visits were identified. Forty-nine percent of patients was male and the median age was 75 years (IQR 64.0-83.0). The most common mechanism of injury was a mobility scooter rollover (34.2%). From 2014 to 2023, the number of MSA-related ED visits of patients with MAIS2+ injuries increased by 38.0%. In the 70-79 age group, this rise was 91%. The total number of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) rose steeply bij 103.0%, which includes a modest (+34.0%) increase in moderate-severe TBI. The hospital admission rate was 30.1%, with a median length of stay of 7 days (IQR 3.0-10.0). Age, sex, and mechanism of injury were independent predictors for hospital admission.
Conclusion:
In the Netherlands, there was a 38.0% increase of MSA-related ED visits of patients with MAIS2+ injuries from 2014 to 2023, with a disproportionate rise in older patients. Age, sex, and mechanism of injury were independent predictors for hospital admission. The total number of TBIs rose steeply by 103.0% which includes a modest (+34.0%) increase in moderate-severe TBI. These findings suggest that targeted preventive measures are needed in order to reduce the number and severity of MSAs.
