DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Correlations of Weather and Time Variables with Visits of Trauma Patients at a Regional Trauma Center in Korea

  • Choi, Hyuk Jin (Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Jang, Jae Hoon (Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Wang, Il Jae (Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Ha, Mahnjeong (Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Yu, Seunghan (Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Lee, Jung Hwan (Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University) ;
  • Kim, Byung Chul (Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Pusan National University)
  • Received : 2020.10.19
  • Accepted : 2020.12.16
  • Published : 2020.12.30

Abstract

Purpose: Trauma incidence and hospitalizations of trauma patients are generally believed to be affected by season and weather. The objective of this study was to explore possible associations of the hospitalization rate of trauma patients with weather and time variables at a single regional trauma center in South Korea. Methods: Trauma hospitalization data were obtained from a regional trauma center in South Korea from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. In total, from 6,788 patients with trauma, data of 3,667 patients were analyzed, excluding those from outside the city where the trauma center was located. Hourly weather service data were obtained from the Korea Meteorological Administration. Results: The hospitalization rate showed positive correlations with temperature (r=0.635) and wind speed (r=0.501), but a negative correlation with humidity (r=-0.620). It showed no significant correlation (r=0.036) with precipitation. The hospitalization rate also showed significant correlations with time of day (p=0.033) and month (p=0.22). Conclusions: Weather and time affected the number of hospitalizations at a trauma center. The findings of this study could be used to determine care delivery, staffing, and resource allocation plans at trauma centers and emergency departments.

Keywords

References

  1. Bhattacharyya T, Millham FH. Relationship between weather and seasonal factors and trauma admission volume at a level I trauma center. J Trauma 2001;51:118-22. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005373-200107000-00019
  2. Atherton WG, Harper WM, Abrams KR. A year's trauma admissions and the effect of the weather. Injury 2005;36:40-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2003.10.027
  3. Abbasi HR, Mousavi SM, Taheri Akerdi A, Niakan MH, Bolandparvaz S, Paydar S. Pattern of traumatic injuries and injury severity score in a major trauma center in Shiraz, Southern Iran. Bull Emerg Trauma 2013;1:81-5.
  4. Rising WR, O'Daniel JA, Roberts CS. Correlating weather and trauma admissions at a level I trauma center. J Trauma 2006;60:1096-100. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ta.0000197435.82141.27
  5. Holleman DR Jr, Bowling RL, Gathy C. Predicting daily visits to a walk-in clinic and emergency department using calendar and weather data. J Gen Intern Med 1996;11:237-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02642481
  6. Lee WK, Lee HA, Hwang SS, Kim H, Lim YH, Hong YC, et al. Does temperature modify the effects of rain and snow precipitation on road traffic injuries? J Epidemiol 2015;25:544-52. https://doi.org/10.2188/jea.JE20140244
  7. Chan EY, Goggins WB, Yue JS, Lee P. Hospital admissions as a function of temperature, other weather phenomena and pollution levels in an urban setting in China. Bull World Health Organ 2013;91:576-84. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.12.113035
  8. Durkalec A, Furgal C, Skinner MW, Sheldon T. Investigating environmental determinants of injury and trauma in the Canadian north. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2014;11:1536-48. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110201536
  9. Livingston KS, Miller PE, Lierhaus A, Matheney TH, Mahan ST. Does weather matter? The effect of weather patterns and temporal factors on pediatric orthopedic trauma volume. Open Orthop J 2016;10:550-8. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874325001610010550
  10. Bonafede M, Marinaccio A, Asta F, Schifano P, Michelozzi P, Vecchi S. The association between extreme weather conditions and work-related injuries and diseases. A systematic review of epidemiological studies. Ann Ist Super Sanita 2016;52:357-67.
  11. Ho VP, Towe CW, Chan J, Barie PS. How's the weather? Relationship between weather and trauma admissions at a level I trauma center. World J Surg 2015;39:934-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-014-2881-8
  12. Mogaka EO, Ng'ang'a Z, Oundo J, Omolo J, Luman E. Factors associated with severity of road traffic injuries, Thika, Kenya. Pan Afr Med J 2011;8:20.
  13. Cugnoni HL, Whitworth I. Injuries related to wind speed. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 1992;74:294-6.
  14. Ranandeh Kalankesh L, Mansouri F, Khanjani N. Association of temperature and humidity with trauma deaths. Trauma Mon 2015;20:e23403. https://doi.org/10.5812/traumamon.23403
  15. Rotstein Z, Wilf-Miron R, Lavi B, Shahar A, Gabbay U, Noy S. The dynamics of patient visits to a public hospital ED: a statistical model. Am J Emerg Med 1997;15:596-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-6757(97)90166-2
  16. Koren L, Barak A, Norman D, Sachs O, Peled E. Effect of seasonality, weather and holidays on the incidence of proximal hip fracture. Isr Med Assoc J 2014;16:299-302.
  17. Lankarani KB, Heydari ST, Aghabeigi MR, Moafian G, Hoseinzadeh A, Vossoughi M. The impact of environmental factors on traffic accidents in Iran. J Inj Violence Res 2014;6:64-71. https://doi.org/10.5249/jivr.v6i2.318
  18. Jung K, Kim I, Park SK, Cho H, Park CY, Yun JH, et al. Preventable trauma death rate after establishing a national trauma system in Korea. J Korean Med Sci 2019;34:e65. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e65
  19. Kim SJ, Kim CH, Shin SD, Lee SC, Park JO, Sung J. Incidence and mortality rates of disasters and mass casualty incidents in Korea: a population-based cross-sectional study, 2000-2009. J Korean Med Sci 2013;28:658-66. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.5.658