Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology of traffic accidents: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the epidemiological profile of traffic accident victims in the setting of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and analyze the admissions throughout the different levels of restriction (flags), as well as compare the results with the pre-pandemic period. Methods: a cross-sectional study was performed, with probability sampling, in a trauma center in Brazil. Medical records of patients involved in traffic accidents from June 2020 to May 2021 were evaluated. Aside from epidemiological characteristics, variables such as the current flag, the trauma mechanism, the resulting injuries, and the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) were also considered. Data were compared between three different flag periods and the proportion of consultations during the pandemic was compared with that from pre-pandemic time (December 2016 to February 2018). Results: it was observed that 62.2% of the patients were victims of motorcycle accidents, 77.5% were male, and the mean age was 33 ± 12.4 years. The mean and median RTS were 7.5 and 7.8, respectively. Statistical difference was stated when comparing the number of visits per day between the yellow and red flags (p=0.001) and orange and red flags (p=0.016). A significantly lower number of consultations for traffic accidents was observed in the pandemic when compared to the pre-pandemic period. Conclusions: the epidemiological profile of the study consisted mostly of young men who were victims of motorcycle accidents. There was a lower incidence of admissions during red flag periods and a lower proportion of consultations throughout the survey when compared to the pre-pandemic period.

摘要
目的：评估2019冠状病毒病（Coronavirus Disease 2019, COVID-19）大流行背景下交通事故受害者的流行病学特征，分析不同防控限制等级（警示旗标）期间的收治情况，并将结果与大流行前时期进行对比。
方法：本研究为横断面研究（cross-sectional study），采用概率抽样（probability sampling）方法，以巴西某创伤中心的患者为研究对象。本研究对2020年6月至2021年5月期间涉及交通事故的患者的病历资料进行了评估。除流行病学特征外，本研究还纳入了当前防疫旗标、创伤发生机制、所受损伤及修订创伤评分（Revised Trauma Score, RTS）等变量。将研究数据按三个不同防疫旗标时段进行分组对比，并将大流行期间的就诊比例与大流行前时期（2016年12月至2018年2月）进行比较。
结果：本研究纳入的患者中，62.2%为摩托车交通事故受害者，77.5%为男性，平均年龄为33±12.4岁。修订创伤评分的均值和中位数分别为7.5和7.8。对比不同时段的每日就诊量发现，黄色与红色警示旗标时段（p=0.001）、橙色与红色警示旗标时段（p=0.016）的就诊量存在统计学差异。与大流行前时期相比，大流行期间交通事故的就诊量显著降低。
结论：本研究的流行病学特征显示，交通事故受害者以年轻男性摩托车事故伤者为主。与大流行前时期相比，红色警示旗标时段的收治量更低，且本次调研全程的就诊比例均处于较低水平。