Background: The aim of this study is to compare impact of COVID-19 on trauma volume and characteristics on a set of trauma centers with a rural catchment area. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected different parts of the country quite differently, both in case volume and in local responses. State-wide responses have varied considerably, including variations in local mask mandates, school closures, and social distancing measures.
Methods: This was a retrospective trauma registry review of patients who were admitted to three of the tertiary care trauma centers in North and South Dakota between 2014 through 2022.
Results: In the analysis of 36,397 patients, we found a significant increase in trauma patient volume during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increased percentage of patients presenting with a mechanism of injury secondary to abuse or assault. This increase in patient volume continued to rise during 2021 and 2022.
Conclusions: Our study demonstrates how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted trauma center admissions in the rural and frontier Midwest differently from more urban areas, and the importance of including a variety of settings in trauma research.
Keywords: COVID-19; frontier; rural; trauma.