Research Article
BibTex RIS Cite

Comparison of Ambulance Usage Characteristics in Children Between the Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Periods in Turkey

Year 2023, Volume: 17 Issue: 3, 182 - 186, 29.05.2023
https://doi.org/10.12956/tchd.1179829

Abstract

Objective: A pandemic is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region of the world and affects many people. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on ambulance use by pediatric patients in Ankara Province, Turkey.

Material and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in the spring-summer of 2019 and 2020. The electronic medical records of pediatric patients who were transported to the hospital by ambulance were analyzed.

Results: It was determined that 49.6% of the 23.201 patients included in the study were transported during the pandemic period. Male gender was higher in both the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods, there was no difference in terms of average age. The rate of forensic cases and refugee patients increased, while that of emergency patients decreased. Both the arrival at the scene time and intervention time were prolonged. Medical cause was the most common cause of emergency calls in both years, however, it increased significantly in 2020. The decrease in cases of traffic accidents, suicides, and other accidents was statistically significant. In the pandemic period, total rate of COVID-19 infection and suspicion was 29.7%. Most of the patients had been referred to a public hospital.

Conclusion: It was found that most of the ambulances were used for transporting patients with minor illnesses that did not require immediate medical attention in pandemic period.

References

  • T. C. Ministry of Health Covid-19 Guide. 29 June 2020. Available from: https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/
  • Regmi K, Lwin CM. Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions for reducing transmission of COVID-19: a systematic review and metaanalysis protocol. BMJ Open 2020;10:e041383.
  • Ambulances and Emergency Health Vehicles and Ambulance Services Regulation. Turkey Official Gazette. 07.12.2006; Issue: 26369.
  • Starnes AB, Oluborode B, Knoles C, Burns B, McGinnis H, Stewart K. Direct Air Versus Ground Transport Predictors for Rural Pediatric Trauma. Air Med J 2018;37:165-9.
  • Operational Portal Refugees Situations. 14 Oct 2020. Available from: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/syria/location/113.
  • Gül SS, Türkmen E. Ulisa. Türkiye’de Eğitimin Dışında Kalan, Hayallerin Uzağına Düşen Suriyeli Mülteci Çocuk Olmak. Ulisa: Journal of International Studies 2019;3:114-31.
  • Budak F, Bostan S. The Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on Syrian Refugees in Turkey: The Case of Kilis. Social Work in Public Health 2020;35:579–89.
  • Korkmaz MF, Bostancı M, Tutanç M. Bir Üçüncü Basamak Hastanede Yatan Adli Nitelikli Çocuk Hastaların Değerlendirilmesi. J Pediatr Emerg Intensive Care Med 2019;6:140-5.
  • Al Rumhi A, Al Awisi H, Al Buwaiqi M, Al Rabaani S. Home Accidents among Children: A Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Center in Oman. Oman Med J 2020;35:e85.
  • Thornes JE, Fisher PA, Rayment-Bishop T, Smith C. Ambulance call-outs and response times in Birmingham and the impact of extreme weather and climate change. Emerg Med J 2014;31:220-8.
  • Yousuf B, Sujatha KS, Alfoudri H, Mansurov V. Transport of critically ill COVID-19 patients Intensive Care Med. 2020;46:1663-4.
  • Lerner EB, Studnek JR, Fumo N, Banerjee A, Arapi I, Browne LR, et al. Multicenter Analysis of Transport Destinations for Pediatric Prehospital Patients. Acad Emerg Med 2019;26:510-6.
  • Overgaard MF, Heino A, Andersen SA, Thomas O, Holmén J, Mikkelsen S. Physician staffed emergency medical service for children: a retrospective population-based registry cohort study in Odense region, Southern Denmark. BMJ Open 2020;10:e037567.
  • Drayna PC, Browne LR, Guse CE, Brousseau DC, Lerner EB. Prehospital Pediatric Care: Opportunities for Training, Treatment, And Research. Prehosp Emerg Care 2015;19:441-7.
  • Mönür M, Gülen M, Avcı A, Satar S. 112 Ambulansı ile Çocuk Acile Getirilen Hastaların Değerlendirilmesi. Medical Journal of Bakırköy 2018;14:253-62.
  • Güngör A, Hanalioglu D, Türk NE, Catak A. Evaluation of Patients Presenting to Pediatric Emergency Department using a Ground Ambulance. J Pediatr Emerg Intensive Care Med 2020;7:19-23.
  • Katayama Y, Kiyohara K, Kitamura T, Hayashida S, Shimazu T. Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on an emergency medical service system: a population-based, descriptive study in Osaka, Japan. Acute Med Surg 2020;7:e534.
  • Tezer H, Demirdağ TB. Novel Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) In Children. Turk J Med Sci 2020;50:592–603.

Türkiye’de Pandemi Öncesi ve Pandemi Dönemi Arasında Çocukların Ambulans Kullanım Özelliklerinin Karşılaştırılması

Year 2023, Volume: 17 Issue: 3, 182 - 186, 29.05.2023
https://doi.org/10.12956/tchd.1179829

Abstract

Amaç: Pandemi, dünyanın geniş bir bölgesine yayılan ve birçok insanı etkileyen bulaşıcı hastalık salgınıdır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’nin Ankara ilinde, 2019 koronavirüs hastalığı (COVİD-19) pandemisinin çocuk hastaların ambulans kullanımına etkisinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu retrospektif çalışmada 2019 ve 2020 yıllarının bahar-yaz aylarında ambulans ile hastaneye nakledilen çocuk hastaların elektronik tıbbi kayıtları incelendi.

Bulgular: Çalışmaya alınan 23201 hastanın %49.6’sının pandemi döneminde nakledildiği belirlendi. Erkek cinsiyet hem pandemi hem de pandemi öncesi dönemlerde daha yüksekti, yaş ortalamaları açısından fark yoktu. Pandemi döneminde adli vaka ve mülteci hasta oranı artarken, acil hasta oranı azaldı. Hem olay yerine gelme süresi hem de müdahale süresi uzadı. Medikal nedenler her iki yılda da en sık acil çağrı nedeniydi, ancak 2020’de önemli ölçüde arttı. Trafik kazası, özkıyım ve diğer kaza vakalarındaki azalma istatistiksel olarak anlamlıydı. Pandemi döneminde toplam kesin ve şüpheli COVİD-19 enfeksiyonu oranı %29.7’di. Hastaların çoğu devlet hastanesine sevk edildi.

Sonuç: Pandemi döneminde ambulansların çoğunun acil tıbbi müdahale gerektirmeyen hafif hastalığı olan hastaları taşımak için kullanıldığı tespit edildi.

References

  • T. C. Ministry of Health Covid-19 Guide. 29 June 2020. Available from: https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/
  • Regmi K, Lwin CM. Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions for reducing transmission of COVID-19: a systematic review and metaanalysis protocol. BMJ Open 2020;10:e041383.
  • Ambulances and Emergency Health Vehicles and Ambulance Services Regulation. Turkey Official Gazette. 07.12.2006; Issue: 26369.
  • Starnes AB, Oluborode B, Knoles C, Burns B, McGinnis H, Stewart K. Direct Air Versus Ground Transport Predictors for Rural Pediatric Trauma. Air Med J 2018;37:165-9.
  • Operational Portal Refugees Situations. 14 Oct 2020. Available from: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/syria/location/113.
  • Gül SS, Türkmen E. Ulisa. Türkiye’de Eğitimin Dışında Kalan, Hayallerin Uzağına Düşen Suriyeli Mülteci Çocuk Olmak. Ulisa: Journal of International Studies 2019;3:114-31.
  • Budak F, Bostan S. The Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on Syrian Refugees in Turkey: The Case of Kilis. Social Work in Public Health 2020;35:579–89.
  • Korkmaz MF, Bostancı M, Tutanç M. Bir Üçüncü Basamak Hastanede Yatan Adli Nitelikli Çocuk Hastaların Değerlendirilmesi. J Pediatr Emerg Intensive Care Med 2019;6:140-5.
  • Al Rumhi A, Al Awisi H, Al Buwaiqi M, Al Rabaani S. Home Accidents among Children: A Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Center in Oman. Oman Med J 2020;35:e85.
  • Thornes JE, Fisher PA, Rayment-Bishop T, Smith C. Ambulance call-outs and response times in Birmingham and the impact of extreme weather and climate change. Emerg Med J 2014;31:220-8.
  • Yousuf B, Sujatha KS, Alfoudri H, Mansurov V. Transport of critically ill COVID-19 patients Intensive Care Med. 2020;46:1663-4.
  • Lerner EB, Studnek JR, Fumo N, Banerjee A, Arapi I, Browne LR, et al. Multicenter Analysis of Transport Destinations for Pediatric Prehospital Patients. Acad Emerg Med 2019;26:510-6.
  • Overgaard MF, Heino A, Andersen SA, Thomas O, Holmén J, Mikkelsen S. Physician staffed emergency medical service for children: a retrospective population-based registry cohort study in Odense region, Southern Denmark. BMJ Open 2020;10:e037567.
  • Drayna PC, Browne LR, Guse CE, Brousseau DC, Lerner EB. Prehospital Pediatric Care: Opportunities for Training, Treatment, And Research. Prehosp Emerg Care 2015;19:441-7.
  • Mönür M, Gülen M, Avcı A, Satar S. 112 Ambulansı ile Çocuk Acile Getirilen Hastaların Değerlendirilmesi. Medical Journal of Bakırköy 2018;14:253-62.
  • Güngör A, Hanalioglu D, Türk NE, Catak A. Evaluation of Patients Presenting to Pediatric Emergency Department using a Ground Ambulance. J Pediatr Emerg Intensive Care Med 2020;7:19-23.
  • Katayama Y, Kiyohara K, Kitamura T, Hayashida S, Shimazu T. Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on an emergency medical service system: a population-based, descriptive study in Osaka, Japan. Acute Med Surg 2020;7:e534.
  • Tezer H, Demirdağ TB. Novel Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) In Children. Turk J Med Sci 2020;50:592–603.
There are 18 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects ​Internal Diseases
Journal Section ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Authors

Eyüp Sarı 0000-0003-3020-5632

İshak Şan 0000-0002-9658-9010

Burak Bekgöz 0000-0002-4183-9633

Halise Akça 0000-0003-4990-5735

Early Pub Date May 3, 2023
Publication Date May 29, 2023
Submission Date October 13, 2022
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 17 Issue: 3

Cite

Vancouver Sarı E, Şan İ, Bekgöz B, Akça H. Comparison of Ambulance Usage Characteristics in Children Between the Pre-Pandemic and Pandemic Periods in Turkey. Türkiye Çocuk Hast Derg. 2023;17(3):182-6.


The publication language of Turkish Journal of Pediatric Disease is English.


Manuscripts submitted to the Turkish Journal of Pediatric Disease will go through a double-blind peer-review process. Each submission will be reviewed by at least two external, independent peer reviewers who are experts in the field, in order to ensure an unbiased evaluation process. The editorial board will invite an external and independent editor to manage the evaluation processes of manuscripts submitted by editors or by the editorial board members of the journal. The Editor in Chief is the final authority in the decision-making process for all submissions. Articles accepted for publication in the Turkish Journal of Pediatrics are put in the order of publication, with at least 10 original articles in each issue, taking into account the acceptance dates. If the articles sent to the reviewers for evaluation are assessed as a senior for publication by the reviewers, the section editor and the editor considering all aspects (originality, high scientific quality and citation potential), it receives publication priority in addition to the articles assigned for the next issue.


The aim of the Turkish Journal of Pediatrics is to publish high-quality original research articles that will contribute to the international literature in the field of general pediatric health and diseases and its sub-branches. It also publishes editorial opinions, letters to the editor, reviews, case reports, book reviews, comments on previously published articles, meeting and conference proceedings, announcements, and biography. In addition to the field of child health and diseases, the journal also includes articles prepared in fields such as surgery, dentistry, public health, nutrition and dietetics, social services, human genetics, basic sciences, psychology, psychiatry, educational sciences, sociology and nursing, provided that they are related to this field. can be published.