Relationship between GPS-based community mobility data and orthopedic trauma admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria: a multicenter analysis.
Natasa Jeremic, Harald Kurt Widhalm, Kevin Doering, Domenik Popp, Matthias Stark, Cornelia Ower, Arora Rohit, Roberto Boesenberg, Andreas Leithner, Arastoo Nia
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between mobility patterns during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and orthopedic trauma patients in Austria. Utilizing global positioning system (GPS)-based mobility data, the attempt was to assess both the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on reducing orthopedic trauma patients and the degree of compliance to the imposed movement restrictions.
Methods: This retrospective analysis included all patients (283,501) treated at 3 major level I trauma centers in Austria. Analyzed time periods were 1 January 2019 to 8 February 2021. Freely available GPS-based mobility data from Google and Apple Inc. was gathered.
Results: A moderate to strong correlation between the cumulative average outpatients and the assessed mobility index was observed for all cities (Google: r = 0.70 p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.67-0.73; Apple: r = 0.64 p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.61-0.67). A significant linear regression equation was found for Vienna (adjusted r2 = 0.48; F(1, 350) = 328,05; p < 0.01). During the first lockdown there was a drastic decline in mobility (up to -75.36%) and in numbers of orthopedic trauma outpatients (up to -64%, from 153 patients/day 2019 to 55 patients/day 2020) in comparison to the prepandemic era. The decline diminished as time passed.
Conclusion: Analyses of GPS-based mobility patterns show a correlation with trauma patient numbers. These findings can be used to develop prediction models, leading to better resource planning and public health policy, enhancing patient care and cost-effectiveness, especially in the event of future pandemics. Furthermore, the results suggest that compliance to mobility restrictions decreased over time during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in increased mobility and trauma patients.
期刊介绍:
The Wiener klinische Wochenschrift - The Central European Journal of Medicine - is an international scientific medical journal covering the entire spectrum of clinical medicine and related areas such as ethics in medicine, public health and the history of medicine. In addition to original articles, the Journal features editorials and leading articles on newly emerging topics, review articles, case reports and a broad range of special articles. Experimental material will be considered for publication if it is directly relevant to clinical medicine. The number of international contributions has been steadily increasing. Consequently, the international reputation of the journal has grown in the past several years. Founded in 1888, the Wiener klinische Wochenschrift - The Central European Journal of Medicine - is certainly one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world and takes pride in having been the first publisher of landmarks in medicine.