Impact of Pandemic Measures on Emergency Department Visits: A Comparative Analysis of Medico-Legal Cases Before and During COVID-19

Impact of Pandemic on Medico-Legal Cases

Authors

  • Mehmet Berkay Can Clinic of Forensic Medicine, Yozgat City Hospital, Yozgat, Türkiye
  • Alper Özkök Department of Forensic Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye
  • Mehmet Ali Aslaner Department of Emergency Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye
  • Taner Akar Department of Forensic Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye
  • Birol Demirel Department of Forensic Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye

Keywords:

Covid-19 pandemic, Lockdown, Medico-legal, Emergency department

Abstract

Objective:

Proper analysis of the pandemic is vital to correctly managing future crises, predicting the problems encountered, reducing their effects, and taking precautions. In this study, we aimed to compare the cases presented to a tertiary care adult ED during the pandemic and the pre-pandemic periods to evaluate the effect of lockdowns and similar restrictive measures.

Methods:

 “Pandemic period” was defined as the period between 11.03.2020-11.03.2021 and “pre-pandemic period” was defined as the period between the same dates in the previous year. 1000 cases (500 from each period) were selected by sampling method among 7137 medico-legal cases presented to the Adult ED in these two years. The total number of ED admissions and medico-legal cases' quality, frequency, and diversity were compared.

Results:

Total admissions to the adult ED decreased by 42.8% during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Although medico-legal cases also decreased, their proportion in all admissions increased by more than 50%. Leaving the hospital voluntarily reduced significantly (p<0.001). There was a significant decrease in the daily average number of legal cases in full-day lockdowns of the pandemic compared to all other periods (p<0.001). Medico-legal cases decreased on weekends when the lockdown was imposed more frequently (p<0.046). In the pandemic, traffic accidents increased due to motorcycle accidents (p<0.010).

Conclusion:

During the pandemic, the significant decrease in overall ED visits compared to the number of medico-legal cases and the decline in the behavior of leaving the hospital voluntarily indicate the high number of unnecessary green zone admissions in ordinary times. The change in living and consumption habits caused by the pandemic may also change the frequency and epidemiological distribution of forensic cases such as motorcycle accidents.

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Published

09.01.2025

Issue

Section

Original Research

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