Lockdowns sway hospital admissions

Midland region logs change in injury types

Lockdown produced some interesting hospital statistics for the Central North Island. Bay of Plenty, Taira¯whiti, Taranaki, Lakes and Waikato District Health Boards cover a population of 985,285 people in what is called the Midland region. The Taupo¯ District falls within Lakes DHB.

A recent study published in The New Zealand Medical Journal shows a big drop in Midland hospitals’ admissions during alert levels 4 and 3 last year, but found admissions were higher than ever as the country moved to levels 2 and 1. The study also found big changes in the types of injuries presented to emergency departments at Midland hospitals.

Data showed a 36.7 per cent drop in admission rates during alert level 4, while a 16 per cent drop was seen during alert level 3. Admissions were higher than usual when New Zealand returned to level 2 (6.5 per cent higher). In the first month of returning to alert level 1, admissions were 13 per cent higher. Fewer men were admitted in 2020 compared with previous years, a drop of 21.9 per cent.

The ways people were injured also changed. There was a 63 per cent drop in pedestrian injuries, while cycling and motorbike-related admissions rose 11 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively. The researchers suggest the increase could have been a result of more new and returning cyclists taking up the hobby during the lockdown while there were fewer cars on the road.

Road traffic crashes typically account for the second-highest number of injuries across the Midlands, after falls. Admissions of people injured in vehicle incidents dropped 35.8 per cent coinciding with alert levels four and three.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there was an increase in injuries around the home with admissions up 28.3 per cent. Injuries on footpaths increased 37.9 per cent. There was a significant drop in injuries occurring at schools (down 75 per cent), sports areas (down 79 per cent) and in and on the water (down 71.4 per cent).

The researchers say public health messages to essential workers to stay safe and keep pressure off the health system appear to have paid off, however, farming continued throughout lockdown and farm-related injuries increased 1.7 per cent. Alert level 2 and the first month of level 1 saw a spike in admissions, perhaps due to catch-up healthcare procedures such as elective surgeries.

The research team says the data from the study will help with planning for future lockdowns or civil emergency situations.