The first year of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a significant increase in injuries at home, particularly those caused by falls, according to a new report.
There was a reduction in road trauma injuries during the period, consistent with there being fewer vehicles on the road, but more bicycle injuries, the Major Trauma Audit 2019 and 2020 finds.
The proportion of patients injured at home increased from 48 per cent in 2019 to 56 per cent in 2020, while the percentage of falls of less than two metres increased from 58 per cent in 2019 to 62 per cent.
The proportion of major trauma patients who died from falls also increased. The percentage of those who died from falls less than two metres increased from 59 per cent in 2019 to 64 per cent in 2020, while the percentage of those who died from falls more than two metres went up from 11 per cent to 16 per cent.
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The report, which focuses on a period when the health service underwent unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic which began in 2020, provides insights into how changes in the health system during this time affected the profile of major trauma and the standard of care for patients. The mechanism of injury also changed during a period when most people’s day-to-day activities were restricted during lockdown.
The annual audit regularly shows that injuries in the home, especially low falls, are the most common cause of major injuries. This year’s report says more needs to be done to keep the population safe, “especially when people are advised to stay at home”.
“This report presents the first picture of how trauma activity, care and outcomes were affected during a very tumultuous time in the health service due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Prof Conor Deasy, clinical lead for major trauma audit. “The significance of this data can help to inform future public-health strategies and the reconfiguration of the trauma system when such events like a pandemic or cyberattack occur.”
Road trauma is the second-biggest trauma category. The proportion involving car accidents fell from 45 per cent to 35 per cent, while the proportion of cyclists injured rose from 20 per cent to 31 per cent.
Extrapolating from the data available, there was a reduction of about 10 per cent in the number of major trauma admissions during 2020, compared with 2019. The average age of major trauma patients increased from 58 years to 61 years.
The annual Major Trauma Audit was established by the National Office of Clinical Audit (NOCA) in 2013. It focuses on the care of the more severely injured trauma patients in Ireland’s healthcare system.
A new system for treating trauma patients is being set up in the health service, focused on major trauma centres at the Mater hospital in Dublin and Cork University Hospital. The report says this system will take between five and seven years to develop.
