Author(s): Alves, Tatiana ; Silva, Susana ; Papadakaki, Maria ; Neto, Mariana ; Mexia, Ricardo ; Matias Dias, Carlos
Date: 2022
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/8815
Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Nacional de Saúde
Subject(s): Home and Leisure Accidents; Children and Young People; Emergency Department; Hospitals; COVID-19; Estados de Saúde e de Doença; Cuidados de Saúde
The pandemic context we are experiencing came to focus efforts and resources in direct response to the health needs caused by this new disease (Covid -19). Injuries are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. It is important to study the impact of this pandemic on injuries in this group, as relevant public health. The aim of this study is to describe the temporal changes of the Home and Leisure Accidents (HLA) among children aged up to 19 years which needed attendance in the Emergency Department (ED) of the National Health Service Hospitals in Portugal. Hospital records were used through EVITA system, between 2019 and 2021 (until october). A descriptive analysis of the data was performed to identify changes in HLA attendance in ED rate by sex, age group, place of occurrence, type of mechanism and follow-up. Rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate potential differences between these three years. Between 2019 and 2021 there were 170 042 HLA episodes in the age groups 0-19 years old representing 31% of all home and leisure accidents during this period of three years. As compared to the year 2019, HLA episodes rate registered in children and young people up to 19 years a decreased of 23,9% [RR=0,76; IC95 (0,75; 0,77)] during the 2020 year and a decreased of 16,1% [RR=0,84; IC95 (0,83; 0,85)] in 2021 year. The HLA episodes registered, from march to december 2020, have always remained below the values of the previous year. However, the months of april to july in 2021, registered the highest values of these three years. During this three years period accidents occurred at school accounted for 34,4% of all HLA in the youngest till 19 years old. In 2020 it was observed a significant reduction (18,5%) on HLA rate in this place of occurrence, as well as, in 2021, a reduction of 11,8%. This pattern was reversed for HLA at home with the highest increase of 34,7%in the year of 2020. As for the type of injury mechanism the decrease was most marked in the HLA rate caused by “blunt force” of 22,8% in 2020 and a decrease of 11,5% in 2021. More discussion regarding the frequency and evolution of HLA during the pandemic in this group of greater vulnerability is needed, evaluating the safety at home.
