Influence of a Stay-At-Home Order on Trauma Volume and Injury Patterns at a Level I Trauma Center in Ohio

Abstract

Background Changes in injury patterns during the COVID pandemic have been reported in other states. The objective was to explore changes to trauma service volume and admission characteristics at a trauma center in northeast Ohio during a stay-at-home order (SAHO) and compare the 2020 data to historic trauma census data. Methods Retrospective chart review of adult trauma patients admitted to a level I trauma center in northeast Ohio. Trauma admissions from January 21 to July 21, 2020 (COVID period) were compared to date-matched cohorts of trauma admissions from 2018 to 2019 (historic period). The COVID period was further categorized as pre-SAHO, active-SAHO, and post-SAHO. Results The SAHO was associated with a reduction in trauma center admissions that increased after the SAHO ( P = .0033). Only outdoor recreational vehicle (ORV) injuries ( P = .0221) and self-inflicted hanging ( P = .0028) mechanisms were increased during the COVID period and had substantial effect sizes. Glasgow Coma Scores were lower during the COVID period ( P = .0286) with a negligible effect size. Violence-related injuries, injury severity, mortality, and admission characteristics including alcohol and drug testing and positivity were similar in the COVID and historic periods. Discussion The SAHO resulted in a temporary decrease in trauma center admissions. Although ORV and hanging mechanisms were increased, other mechanisms such as alcohol and toxicology proportions, injury severity, length of stay, and mortality were unchanged.