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Effects of the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Assault-Related Head Injury in Melbourne: A Retrospective Study
journal contribution
posted on 2023-02-15, 22:21 authored by JF Domínguez D, J Truong, J Burnett, Lata SatyenLata Satyen, H Akhlaghi, J Stella, N Rushworth, Karen CaeyenberghsKaren CaeyenberghsAssault is the leading preventable cause of death, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and associated mental health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on patterns of interpersonal violence across the world. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we analysed medical records of 1232 assault victims (domestic violence: 111, random assault: 900, prison assault: 221) with head injuries who presented to the emergency department (ED) at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, a city with one of the longest and most severe COVID-19 restrictions worldwide. We examined changes in prevalence in the assault group overall and in domestic violence, random assault, and prison assault victims, comparing data from 19.5 months before and after the first day of COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne. Moreover, we investigated differences driven by demographic factors (Who: age group, sex, and nationality) and clinical variables (Where: assault location, and When: time of arrival to the ED and time from moment of injury until presentation at ED). Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were performed. We found the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the Where of assault-related TBI, with a shift in the location of assaults from the street to the home, and the increase at home being driven by random assaults on middle-aged adults. Overall, we observed that 86% of the random assault cases were males, whereas 74% of the domestic assault cases were females. Meanwhile, nearly half (44%) of the random assault victims reported alcohol consumption versus a fifth (20%) of domestic violence victims. These findings will have direct implications for developing screening tools and better preventive and ameliorative interventions to manage the sequelae of assault TBI, particularly in the context of future large-scale health crises or emergencies.
History
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthVolume
20Article number
ARTN 63Location
SwitzerlandPublisher DOI
ISSN
1661-7827eISSN
1660-4601Language
EnglishPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalIssue
1Publisher
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Science & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineEnvironmental SciencesPublic, Environmental & Occupational HealthEnvironmental Sciences & Ecologyhead injuryCOVID pandemictraumatic brain injurydomestic violencerandom assaultphysical assaultTRAUMATIC BRAIN-INJURYDOMESTIC VIOLENCEMENOUTCOMESVICTIMSALCOHOLBEHAVIORYOUNGAdultMiddle AgedMaleFemaleHumansRetrospective StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesPandemicsCOVID-19Craniocerebral TraumaBrain Injuries, TraumaticEmergency Service, HospitalClinical ResearchViolence ResearchYouth ViolencePediatricInjury - Trauma - (Head and Spine)Injury (total) Accidents/Adverse EffectsInjury - Childhood InjuriesInjury - Traumatic brain injuryBehavioral and Social ScienceBrain DisordersViolence Against WomenInjuries and accidentsMental health3 Good Health and Well Being16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
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