Characteristics of a trauma population in an ambulance organisation in Sweden: results from an observational study

Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine

Original Research

Carl Magnusson¹  Magnus Andersson Hagiwara²  Johan Herlitz²  Christer Axelsson³  Glenn Larsson³ 

[1] Department of Prehospital Emergency Care, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden;Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden;PreHospen-Centre for Prehospital Research, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Allegatan 1, 501 90, Borås, Sweden;PreHospen-Centre for Prehospital Research, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Allegatan 1, 501 90, Borås, Sweden;Department of Prehospital Emergency Care, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden;

关键词: Trauma;    Injury;    Emergency medical service;    Ambulance services;    Patient triage;    Mortality;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13049-023-01090-0

 received in 2023-02-05, accepted in 2023-05-22,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundGlobally, injuries are a major health problem, and in Sweden, injuries are the second most common reason for ambulance dispatch. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the epidemiology of injuries requiring assessment by emergency medical services (EMS) in Sweden. The aim of the present study was to describe the prehospital population with injuries that have been assessed and treated by EMS.MethodsA randomly selected retrospective sample was collected from 1 January through 31 December 2019 in a region in southwestern Sweden. Data were collected from ambulance and hospital medical records.ResultsAmong 153,724 primary assignments, 26,697 (17.4%) were caused by injuries. The study cohort consisted of 5,235 patients, of whom 50.5% were men, and the median age was 63 years. The most common cause of injury was low-energy fall (51.4%), and this was the cause in 77.8% of those aged > 63 years and in 26.7% of those aged ≤ 63 years. The injury mechanism was a motor vehicle in 8.0%, a motorcycle in 2.1% and a bicycle in 4.0%. The most common trauma location was the residential area (55.5% overall; 77.9% in the elderly and 34.0% in the younger group). In the prehospital setting, the most frequent clinical sign was a wound (33.2%), a closed fracture were seen in 18.9% and an open fracture in 1.0%. Pain was reported in 74.9% and 42.9% reported severe pain. Medication was given to 42.4% of patients before arrival in the hospital. The most frequent triage colour according to the RETTS was orange (46.7%), whereas only 4.4% were triaged red. Among all patients, 83.6% were transported to the hospital, and 27.8% received fracture treatment after hospital admission. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 3.4%.ConclusionAmong EMS assignments in southwestern Sweden, 17% were caused by injury equally distributed between women and men. More than half of these cases were caused by low-energy falls, and the most common trauma location was a residential area. The majority of the victims had pain upon arrival of the EMS, and a large proportion appeared to have severe pain.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

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