Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates
Abstract Background The COVID-19 Pandemic lockdowns restricted human and traffic mobility impacting the patterns and severity of road traffic collisions (RTCs). We aimed to study the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on incidence, patterns, severity of the injury, and outcomes of hospitalized RTCs tr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-11-01
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| Series: | World Journal of Emergency Surgery |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-021-00401-z |
| _version_ | 1818652143853240320 |
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| author | Yasin J. Yasin David O. Alao Michal Grivna Fikri M. Abu-Zidan |
| author_facet | Yasin J. Yasin David O. Alao Michal Grivna Fikri M. Abu-Zidan |
| author_sort | Yasin J. Yasin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID-19 Pandemic lockdowns restricted human and traffic mobility impacting the patterns and severity of road traffic collisions (RTCs). We aimed to study the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on incidence, patterns, severity of the injury, and outcomes of hospitalized RTCs trauma patients in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates. Methods We compared the data of two cohorts of patients which were collected over two periods; the Pandemic period (28 March 2020 to 27 March 2021) and the pre-pandemic period (28 March 2019 to 27 March 2020). All RTCs trauma patients who were hospitalized in the two major trauma centers (Al-Ain and Tawam Hospitals) of Al-Ain City were studied. Results Overall, the incidence of hospitalized RTC trauma patients significantly reduced by 33.5% during the Pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic period. The mechanism of injury was significantly different between the two periods (p < 0.0001, Fisher’s Exact test). MVCs were less during the Pandemic (60.5% compared with 72%), while motorcycle injuries were more (23.3% compared with 11.2%). The mortality of hospitalized RTC patients was significantly higher during the Pandemic (4.4% compared with 2.3%, p = 0.045, Fisher’s Exact test). Logistic regression showed that the significant factors that predicted mortality were the low GCS (p < 0.0001), admission to the ICU (p < 0.0001), and the high ISS (p = 0.045). COVID-19 Pandemic had a very strong trend (p = 0.058) for increased mortality. Conclusions Our study has shown that the numbers of hospitalized RTC trauma patients reduced by 33.5% during the COVID-19 Pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic period in our setting. This was attributed to the reduced motor vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle injuries while motorcycle injuries increased. Mortality was significantly higher during the Pandemic, which was attributed to increased ISS and reduced GCS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T02:17:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6cb5c490bf06495e8c7a4b717691608a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1749-7922 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T02:17:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | World Journal of Emergency Surgery |
| spelling | doaj.art-6cb5c490bf06495e8c7a4b717691608a2022-12-21T22:07:21ZengBMCWorld Journal of Emergency Surgery1749-79222021-11-011611710.1186/s13017-021-00401-zImpact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab EmiratesYasin J. Yasin0David O. Alao1Michal Grivna2Fikri M. Abu-Zidan3Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE UniversityDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE UniversityInstitute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE UniversityDepartment of Surgery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE UniversityAbstract Background The COVID-19 Pandemic lockdowns restricted human and traffic mobility impacting the patterns and severity of road traffic collisions (RTCs). We aimed to study the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on incidence, patterns, severity of the injury, and outcomes of hospitalized RTCs trauma patients in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates. Methods We compared the data of two cohorts of patients which were collected over two periods; the Pandemic period (28 March 2020 to 27 March 2021) and the pre-pandemic period (28 March 2019 to 27 March 2020). All RTCs trauma patients who were hospitalized in the two major trauma centers (Al-Ain and Tawam Hospitals) of Al-Ain City were studied. Results Overall, the incidence of hospitalized RTC trauma patients significantly reduced by 33.5% during the Pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic period. The mechanism of injury was significantly different between the two periods (p < 0.0001, Fisher’s Exact test). MVCs were less during the Pandemic (60.5% compared with 72%), while motorcycle injuries were more (23.3% compared with 11.2%). The mortality of hospitalized RTC patients was significantly higher during the Pandemic (4.4% compared with 2.3%, p = 0.045, Fisher’s Exact test). Logistic regression showed that the significant factors that predicted mortality were the low GCS (p < 0.0001), admission to the ICU (p < 0.0001), and the high ISS (p = 0.045). COVID-19 Pandemic had a very strong trend (p = 0.058) for increased mortality. Conclusions Our study has shown that the numbers of hospitalized RTC trauma patients reduced by 33.5% during the COVID-19 Pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic period in our setting. This was attributed to the reduced motor vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle injuries while motorcycle injuries increased. Mortality was significantly higher during the Pandemic, which was attributed to increased ISS and reduced GCS.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-021-00401-zCOVID-19Road traffic collisionRoad safetyInjuryDeathUnited Arab Emirates |
| spellingShingle | Yasin J. Yasin David O. Alao Michal Grivna Fikri M. Abu-Zidan Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates World Journal of Emergency Surgery COVID-19 Road traffic collision Road safety Injury Death United Arab Emirates |
| title | Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates |
| title_full | Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates |
| title_fullStr | Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates |
| title_short | Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates |
| title_sort | impact of the covid 19 pandemic on road traffic collision injury patterns and severity in al ain city united arab emirates |
| topic | COVID-19 Road traffic collision Road safety Injury Death United Arab Emirates |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-021-00401-z |
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