Epidemiology of Work-Related Traumatic Brain Injury and COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Consequences: Experience in a Reference Center in Chile.

Abstract

Work-related traumatic brain injury is a frequent cause of chronic morbidity, mortality, and high treatment costs. Its causes are highly environmentally determined and were affected by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. We aimed to describe traumatic brain injury (TBI) epidemiology in working population and evaluate its modifications during the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a 2-year retrospective epidemiological analysis of TBI patients hospitalized in a tertiary work-related hospital before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the prepandemic period, TBI patients were predominantly men, with a bimodal age distribution. Crash accidents were the leading work-related traumatic brain injury cause. During COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, there was a positive correlation between street traffic and TBI rate, presenting increased motor crash accidents as a cause of TBI. These results are relevant for planning and focalization of resources for TBI prevention.