Epidemiology of pediatric trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic shelter in place

Kovi E Bessoff; Ryan W Han; Min Cho; Melanie Stroud; Eva M Urrechaga; Chad M Thorson; Katie W Russell; Autumn Rohan; Shannon N Acker; Shakeva Swain; Leopoldo Malvezzi; Julie R Fuchs; Stephanie D Chao

doi:10.1016/j.sopen.2021.06.001

Epidemiology of pediatric trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic shelter in place

Surg Open Sci. 2021 Oct:6:5-9. doi: 10.1016/j.sopen.2021.06.001. Epub 2021 Jun 22.

Authors

Kovi E Bessoff¹, Ryan W Han², Min Cho³, Melanie Stroud⁴, Eva M Urrechaga⁵, Chad M Thorson^{5

6}, Katie W Russell⁷, Autumn Rohan⁷, Shannon N Acker⁸, Shakeva Swain⁹, Leopoldo Malvezzi¹⁰, Julie R Fuchs^{11

12}, Stephanie D Chao¹²

Affiliations

¹ Stanford School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Stanford, CA.
² Stanford University, Department of Computer Science, Stanford, CA.
³ Stanford University, Department of Statistics, Stanford, CA.
⁴ Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, CA.
⁵ University of Miami/Miller School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Miami, FL.
⁶ University of Miami/Miller School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Miami, FL.
⁷ University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Salt Lake City, UT.
⁸ Children's Hospital Colorado, Division of Pediatric Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
⁹ Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Department of Trauma Services, Miami, FL.
¹⁰ Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami Associates in Pediatric Surgery, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Miami, FL.
¹¹ Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Department of Surgery, San Jose, CA.
¹² Stanford School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Stanford, CA.

Abstract

Introduction: The first COVID-19 cases occurred in the US in January of 2020, leading to the implementation of shelter in place. This study seeks to define the impact of shelter in place on the epidemiology of pediatric trauma.

Methods: We examined pediatric trauma admissions at 5 Level 1 and 1 Level 2 US pediatric trauma centers between January 1 and June 30, 2017-2020. Demographic and injury data were compared between pre- and post-shelter in place patient cohorts.

Results: A total of 8772 pediatric trauma activations were reviewed. There was a 13% decrease in trauma volume in 2020, with a nadir at 16 days following implementation of shelter in place. Injury severity scores were higher in the post-shelter in place cohort. The incidence of nonmotorized vehicle accidents and gunshot wounds increased in the post-shelter in place cohort.

Conclusion: We found an overall decrease in pediatric trauma volume following shelter in place. However, injuries tended to be more severe. Our findings help inform targeted injury prevention campaigns during future pandemics.