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This study examines how COVID-19 lockdowns changed trauma incidence and demographics in emergency department patients.

June 2, 2026

How did social isolation change trauma patterns? Comparative analysis of isolation and normal periods

MTMERYEM KARTAL TÜRKÇanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi MDMurat DaşÇanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi KTKemal TürkÇanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi

Key Points

This study examines how COVID-19 lockdowns changed trauma incidence and demographics in emergency department patients.
Retrospective cohort study comparing trauma patient data from two seven-month periods (full isolation vs. non-isolation) at a tertiary university hospital.
Data obtained using ICD-10 codes, with categorical variables analyzed through the Chi-Square test.
Included a total of 11,175 patients (2,439 during isolation and 8,736 during non-isolation).
Trauma presentations from the 18–44 age group decreased from 56.1% to 47.0% (p < 0.001), while the 65+ age group increased from 9.0% to 14.6%.
Rate of falls rose from 27.1% to 37.8% (p < 0.001).
Penetrating and sharp object injuries increased from 9.9% to 12.1% (p = 0.002).

Abstract

Objective: This study examines the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the demographic profiles and injury mechanisms of trauma patients in the emergency department (ED), while accounting for seasonal variations.Methods: A retrospective cohort study compared a seven-month full isolation period (Dec 2020 – June 2021) with a non- isolation period (Dec 2021 – June 2022) at a tertiary university hospital. Data were obtained via ICD-10 codes, and categorical variables were analyzed using the Chi-Square test.Results: Analysis included 2,439 patients from the isolation period and 8,736 from the non-isolation period. During isolation, the 18–44 age group's share of trauma presentations decreased from 56.1% to 47.0%, while the 65+ age group increased from 9.0% to 14.6% (p 0.001). No significant difference was found in gender distribution. The rate of falls rose from 27.1% to 37.8% (p 0.001), and penetrating and sharp object injuries (PSOI) increased from 9.9% to 12.1% (p = 0.002). While minor traumas like sprains decreased, motor vehicle accidents showed no proportional change.Conclusion: Isolation measures shifted the trauma focus from young adults to the geriatric population and from outdoor activities to indoor incidents (falls and PSOI). These findings provide a critical reference for ED triage and resource management in future pandemic planning.

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