PMID- 33403988
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20210115
LR  - 20210115
IS  - 2078-5135 (Electronic)
VI  - 110
IP  - 11
DP  - 2020 Oct 28
TI  - Trauma patterns during the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa expose vulnerability 
      of women.
PG  - 1110-1112
LID - 10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v110i11.15124 [doi]
AB  - BACKGROUND: Trauma care places a significant burden on the South African (SA) 
      healthcare system, and this has not changed significantly in recent history. We 
      speculated that the COVID-19 lockdown regulations (travel restriction and alcohol 
      ban) would affect trauma patterns. OBJECTIVES: To compare the burden and nature 
      of trauma over the COVID-19 lockdown period with the equivalent period over the 
      past 5 years using routinely collected data from the Pietermaritzburg 
      Metropolitan Trauma Service in KwaZulu-Natal Province, SA. METHODS: All trauma 
      patients admitted to Grey's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg between 23 March 2015 
      and 31 May 2020 were identified and reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 8 859 trauma 
      patients were admitted over the 6-year period, with a total of 1 676 admitted 
      during the periods 23 March - 31 May. These 1 676 formed the study cohort. Of 
      these patients, 998 had sustained blunt trauma, 665 penetrating trauma, and 13 a 
      combination of blunt and penetrating trauma. A total of 14 categories of blunt 
      trauma were reviewed, of which the three most common were assault, motor vehicle 
      accidents (MVAs) and pedestrian vehicle accidents (PVAs). Between 23 March and 31 
      May 2020, a total of 23 patients were victims of blunt assault. The median number 
      of assault victims over the equivalent period during the previous 5 years was 48. 
      The 5 preceding years had a median of 56 MVAs and 33 PVAs, compared with 23 and 
      10 during the lockdown. The median number of gunshot wound (GSW) victims for the 
      preceding years was 41, compared with 30 during the lockdown. During the 
      lockdown, 24 stab wound victims were admitted, compared with a median of 73 for 
      the preceding years. The proportion of females who sustained penetrating trauma 
      and blunt assault increased significantly during the lockdown. The proportion of 
      females sustaining a GSW or blunt trauma secondary to an MVA remained constant. 
      CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that during the period of lockdown in SA there was 
      a significant decrease in MVAs, PVAs and interpersonal violence. Assaults 
      involving a knife seemed to decrease dramatically, but the rate of GSWs remained 
      constant.
FAU - Zsilavecz, A
AU  - Zsilavecz A
AD  - Department of Surgery, Grey's Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. 
      azsilavecz@gmail.com.
FAU - Wain, H
AU  - Wain H
FAU - Bruce, J L
AU  - Bruce JL
FAU - Smith, M T D
AU  - Smith MTD
FAU - Bekker, W
AU  - Bekker W
FAU - Laing, G L
AU  - Laing GL
FAU - Lutge, E
AU  - Lutge E
FAU - Clarke, D L
AU  - Clarke DL
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20201028
PL  - South Africa
TA  - S Afr Med J
JT  - South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
JID - 0404520
SB  - IM
MH  - Accidents, Traffic/*statistics & numerical data
MH  - *COVID-19
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Pedestrians
MH  - SARS-CoV-2
MH  - *Sex Distribution
MH  - South Africa/epidemiology
MH  - Violence/*statistics & numerical data
MH  - Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology
MH  - Wounds, Gunshot/*epidemiology
MH  - Wounds, Nonpenetrating/*epidemiology
MH  - Wounds, Stab/*epidemiology
EDAT- 2021/01/07 06:00
MHDA- 2021/01/16 06:00
CRDT- 2021/01/06 08:41
PHST- 2020/10/28 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2021/01/06 08:41 [entrez]
PHST- 2021/01/07 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2021/01/16 06:00 [medline]
AID - 10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v110i11.15124 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - S Afr Med J. 2020 Oct 28;110(11):1110-1112. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v110i11.15124.