Distribution of Forensic Cases in Admitted to the Emergency Department of a University Hospital in the Year of the Pandemic Onset and One Year Before

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 141 - 147, 30.12.2024

Mehmet Burak Peköz , Halil Oktay Usluer , Hüseyin Şahin , Cuma Yeşildaş

https://doi.org/10.54996/anatolianjem.1496058

Abstract

Aim: In light of the societal shifts brought about by the pandemic, alterations were noted in both the distribution and characteristics of forensic cases presenting at the emergency department. This study aimed to assess the changes in the features of forensic cases admitted to the emergency department before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Tekirdag Namik Kemal University, spanning from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2021. The timeframe from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020, was designated as the "COVID-19 pre-pandemic period" (n = 1101), while the period from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, was termed the "COVID-19 pandemic period" (n = 685). Patient records from the emergency department were retrospectively examined.

Results: Among the 1786 forensic cases analyzed, 71.6% were male, with a mean age of 32.68 ± 15.67 years. Predominant case types included assault/battery (28.7%), road traffic accidents (25.1%), and occupational accidents (20.9%). While 61.6% of cases occurred during the pre-pandemic period, 38.4% were recorded during the pandemic. A significant increase was observed in the frequency of forensic cases among emergency department admissions during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic
period (1.5% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.001). Moreover, during the pandemic period, there was a notable rise in the age of forensic cases, frequency of hospitalized cases, duration of hospitalization, and occurrences of occupational and motorcycle accidents, whereas incidents of assault/battery and traffic accidents decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of cases across different months during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Despite an overall decrease in the number of forensic cases during the pandemic, a heightened intensity of such cases was observed among hospital admissions. Notably, individuals admitted during the pandemic were older, experienced more frequent and prolonged hospitalizations, and were involved in fewer assault/battery and traffic accident cases but more occupational and motorcycle accidents.

Keywords

COVID-19, emergency department, forensic case, pandemic

Ethical Statement

Ethical principles are complied

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

1462248

Tekirdağ Namık Kemal Üniversitesi Acil Servisine COVID-19 Pandemisi Öncesi ve Pandemi Dönemi Başvuran Hastalarda Adli Vaka Dağılımı

Abstract

Amaç: Pandeminin getirdiği toplumsal değişimler ışığında, acil servise başvuran adli vakaların dağılımında ve özelliklerinde değişiklikler gözlemlenmiştir. Bu çalışma, COVID-19 pandemisi öncesi ve sırasında acil servise kabul edilen adli vakaların özelliklerindeki değişiklikleri değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Tekirdağ Namık Kemal Üniversitesi Acil Tıp Anabilim Dalı'nda 1 Nisan 2019 - 31 Mart 2021 tarihleri arasında yürütülen gözlemsel kesitsel bir çalışma yapılmıştır. 1 Nisan 2019 - 31 Mart 2020 dönemi "COVID-19 pandemi öncesi dönem" (n = 1101), 1 Nisan 2020 - 31 Mart 2021 dönemi ise "COVID-19 pandemi dönemi" (n = 685) olarak tanımlanmıştır. Acil servisteki hasta kayıtları retrospektif olarak incelenmiştir.

Bulgular: Analiz edilen 1786 adli vakanın %71,6'sı erkek olup, yaş ortalaması 32,68 ± 15,67 yıl olarak bulunmuştur. En sık karşılaşılan vaka türleri arasında darp/şiddet (%28,7), trafik kazaları (%25,1) ve iş kazaları (%20,9) yer almıştır. Vakaların %61,6'sı pandemi öncesi dönemde, %38,4'ü ise pandemi döneminde kaydedilmiştir. Pandemi döneminde acil servis başvuruları arasında adli vaka oranında pandemi öncesine göre anlamlı bir artış görülmüştür (%1,5'e karşı %1,7, p = 0,001). Ayrıca pandemi döneminde adli vakaların yaş ortalaması, hastaneye yatış sıklığı, yatış süresi ve iş kazaları ile motosiklet kazalarının sıklığında anlamlı bir artış görülürken, darp/şiddet ve trafik kazası oranlarında belirgin bir azalma tespit edilmiştir (p < 0,05). Pandemi döneminde vaka dağılımının aylara göre farklılık göstermesi de istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunmuştur (p < 0,001).

Sonuç: Pandemi süresince toplam adli vaka sayısında azalma görülmesine rağmen, bu vakaların hastane başvuruları içerisindeki yoğunluğunda artış gözlemlenmiştir. Özellikle, pandemi döneminde başvuran bireylerin daha ileri yaşta olduğu, daha sık ve uzun süreli hastaneye yatış gerektirdiği, daha az darp/şiddet ve trafik kazası, ancak daha fazla iş ve motosiklet kazası geçirdiği belirlenmiştir.

Keywords

COVID-19, acil servis, adli vaka, pandemi

Project Number

1462248

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