Dataset Information

Temporal changes in trauma according to alcohol sale restrictions during the South African national COVID-19 lockdown.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The South African government enforced various alcohol sale restrictions during the COVID-19 lockdown in order to reduce hospital admissions related to alcohol-associated injuries. A cross-sectional study was performed to describe the temporal changes in trauma according to alcohol sale restrictions during the South African national COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods

Data from all trauma-related patients presenting to the emergency centre of Mitchells Plain Hospital from 01/03/2020 till 29/9/2020 and corresponding periods during 2019 were exported from an existing database. The relationship between variables was determined with the χ²-test, Fisher's exact test, independent samples median test or t-test. A sub-analysis compared similar 2020 lockdown levels when a second alcohol ban were instituted while most business were allowed to operate (level 3b - alcohol banned versus level 3 - alcohol restricted).

Results

Total number of trauma presentations were 539 (14.6%) less in 2020 (n = 3160) than in 2019 (n = 3699); the mean number decreased by 2.5 per day (95% CI -2.9 to -2.1). Lockdown levels with an alcohol ban had on average 4.8 less patients per day than corresponding periods in 2019 (p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed in lockdown levels with alcohol sale restrictions (mean difference per day -0.4, p = 0.195). Trauma presentations increased significantly (mean difference per day 7.0 (95% CI 6.5 to 7.5)) from 2020 lockdown levels with alcohol sales ban (mean per day 11.4) to 2020 lockdown levels with alcohol sale restrictions (mean per day 18.4). Significantly less patients (mean -3.2 (95% CI -3.9 to -2.5)) presented during 2020 lockdown level 3b (alcohol sales banned, mean 13.9) compared to level 3 (alcohol sales restricted, mean 17.1).

Conclusion

Temporal changes in trauma were observed according to alcohol sale restrictions during South Africa's COVID-19 lockdown periods. Significantly less trauma cases presented during periods with an alcohol ban compared to periods where alcohol sales were only restricted.

SUBMITTER: van Hoving DJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8410509 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:IntroductionLockdown restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the number of injuries recorded. However, little is known about the impact of easing COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on the nature and outcome of injuries. This study aims to compare injury patterns prior to and after the easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in Saudi Arabia.MethodData were collected retrospectively from the Saudi TraumA Registry for the period between March 25, 2019, and June 21, 2021. These data corresponded to three periods: March 2019-February 2020 (pre-restrictions, period 1), March 2020-June 2020 (lockdown, period 2), and July 2020-June 2021 (post easing of restrictions, period 3). Data related to patients' demographics, mechanism and severity of injury, and in-hospital mortality were collected and analysed.ResultsA total of 5,147 traumatic injury patients were included in the analysis (pre-restrictions n = 2593; lockdown n = 218; post easing of lockdown restrictions n = 2336). An increase in trauma cases (by 7.6%) was seen in the 30-44 age group after easing restrictions (n = 648 vs. 762, p < 0.01). Motor vehicle crashes (MVC) were the leading cause of injury, followed by falls in all the three periods. MVC-related injuries decreased by 3.1% (n = 1068 vs. 890, p = 0.03) and pedestrian-related injuries decreased by 2.7% (n = 227 vs. 143, p < 0.01); however, burn injuries increased by 2.2% (n = 134 vs. 174, p < 0.01) and violence-related injuries increased by 0.9% (n = 45 vs. 60, p = 0.05) post easing of lockdown restrictions. We observed an increase in in-hospital mortality during the period of 12 months after easing of lockdown restrictions-4.9% (114/2336) compared to 12 months of pre-lockdown period-4.3% (113/2593).ConclusionThis is one of the first studies to document trauma trends over a one-year period after easing lockdown restrictions. MVC continues to be the leading cause of injuries despite a slight decrease; overall injury cases rebounded towards pre-lockdown levels in Saudi Arabia. Injury prevention needs robust legislation with respect to road safety measures and law enforcement that can decrease the burden of traumatic injuries.

Project description:The South African government's COVID-19 pandemic risk mitigation strategies significantly limited social contact, which necessitated a novel approach to existing face-to-face career guidance practices. The Grade 9 Career Guidance Project, originally developed as a group-based career development intervention, required radical adaptation into a self-directed, manualized format to offer career guidance to Grade 9 learners from low-income communities amid a global pandemic. The adaptation and continuation of the project was deemed essential as secondary school learners in low-income communities have limited career guidance support. Furthermore, a close collaboration with the teachers at eight resource-constrained South African secondary schools was vital for successful implementation. To assess the success of the adaptation to a self-directed format, a mixed-methods design was employed, and Life Orientation teachers' evaluative feedback was solicited (n = 11). Favorable quantitative results were obtained; majority of teachers agreed that learners enjoyed the booklet (manualized format) and that it was deemed an adequate substitute to the previous contact-based format of the Career Guidance Project. This was also confirmed by the qualitative findings revealing teachers' satisfaction with the booklet's content, specifically that the booklet is complementary to the Life Orientation curriculum. Qualitative findings identified specific contextual barriers that contributed to some learners struggling to use the booklet optimally. The results suggest that it is feasible and acceptable to implement a self-directed career guidance intervention among secondary school learners amid a global pandemic. Teachers recommended ways to integrate the booklet, resources, and contact sessions as a preferred way forward. These findings have important implications for similar resource-constrained settings that may not have readily access to in-person career guidance and counseling human development.