Citation

Lalchandani P, Strong BL, Harfouche MN, Diaz JJ, Scalea TM. Am. Surg. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Southeastern Surgical Congress)

DOI

10.1177/00031348221086821

PMID

35387524

Abstract

We investigated whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected rates of interpersonal violence (IV). A retrospective study was performed using city-wide crime data and the trauma registry at one high-volume trauma center pre-pandemic [PP] (March-October 2019) and during the pandemic [PA] (March-October 2020). The proportion of trauma admissions attributable to IV remained unchanged from PP to PA, but IV increased as a proportion of overall crime (34% to 41%, p<0.001). Assaults decreased, but there was a proportionate increase in penetrating trauma which was mostly attributable to firearms. Despite a reduction in admissions due to IV in the first 4 months of the pandemic, the rates of violence subsequently exceeded that of the same months in 2019. The cause of the observed increase of IV is multi-factorial. Future studies aimed at identifying the root causes are essential to mitigate violence during this ongoing health crisis.

Language: en

Keywords

trauma; COVID-19; interpersonal violence