Glenn Keays1,2, Debbie Friedman1,2,3,4, Isabelle Gagnon5,6. 1. Trauma, Montreal Children's Hospital Trauma Centre, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 2. Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 3. Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 4. The WELL Office, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 5. School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 6. Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Research has shown that during the 2003 SARS pandemic, emergency department (ED) visits among the pediatric population decreased. We set out to investigate if this was also true for injury-related ED visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP), we looked at 28 years of injury-related ED visits at the Montreal Children's Hospital, a provincially designated Pediatric Trauma Centre. We compared data from a two-month period during the COVID-19 lockdown (16 March to 15 May) to the same period in previous years (1993-2019) to determine whether the 2020 decrease in ED visit numbers was unprecedented (i.e. a similar decrease had never occurred) for different age groups, nature of injuries, mechanisms and severity. RESULTS: The 2020 decrease was unprecedented across all age groups between 1993 and 2019. When compared with the 2015 to 2019 average, the decrease was smallest in children aged 2 to 5 years (a 35% decrease), and greatest in the group aged 12 to 17 years (83%). Motor vehicle collisions and sports-related injuries practically vanished during the COVID-19 lockdown. Surprisingly, more children aged 6 to 17 years presented with less urgent injuries during the COVID-19 lockdown than in previous years. CONCLUSION: As was the case with SARS in 2003, COVID-19 acted as a deterrent for pediatric ED visits. The lockdown in particular had a profound impact on injury-related visits. The de-confinement period will be monitored to determine the impact in both the short and the long term.
INTRODUCTION: Research has shown that during the 2003 SARS pandemic, emergency department (ED) visits among the pediatric population decreased. We set out to investigate if this was also true for injury-related ED visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP), we looked at 28 years of injury-related ED visits at the Montreal Children's Hospital, a provincially designated Pediatric Trauma Centre. We compared data from a two-month period during the COVID-19 lockdown (16 March to 15 May) to the same period in previous years (1993-2019) to determine whether the 2020 decrease in ED visit numbers was unprecedented (i.e. a similar decrease had never occurred) for different age groups, nature of injuries, mechanisms and severity. RESULTS: The 2020 decrease was unprecedented across all age groups between 1993 and 2019. When compared with the 2015 to 2019 average, the decrease was smallest in children aged 2 to 5 years (a 35% decrease), and greatest in the group aged 12 to 17 years (83%). Motor vehicle collisions and sports-related injuries practically vanished during the COVID-19 lockdown. Surprisingly, more children aged 6 to 17 years presented with less urgent injuries during the COVID-19 lockdown than in previous years. CONCLUSION: As was the case with SARS in 2003, COVID-19 acted as a deterrent for pediatric ED visits. The lockdown in particular had a profound impact on injury-related visits. The de-confinement period will be monitored to determine the impact in both the short and the long term.
Authors: John S P Tulloch; Simon Minford; Vicky Pimblett; Matt Rotheram; Robert M Christley; Carri Westgarth Journal: BMJ Paediatr Open Date: 2021-04-02
Authors: Stephan Payr; Andrea Schuller; Theresia Dangl; Philipp Scheider; Thomas Sator; Britta Chocholka; Manuela Jaindl; Elisabeth Schwendenwein; Thomas M Tiefenboeck Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-05-28 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Fausto Famà; Roberto Lo Giudice; Gaetano Di Vita; João Paulo Mendes Tribst; Giorgio Lo Giudice; Alessandro Sindoni Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-07-01 Impact factor: 3.390