The Hidden Pandemic: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trauma Cases Due to Domestic Violence Admitted to the Biggest Level-One Trauma Center in Austria

Abstract

Background: An alarming increase in domestic violence was reported during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. The aim of this study is to investigate changes in the frequency and the nature of domestic violence at the largest level-one trauma center in Austria. Methods: All patients admitted to our institution with domestic violence injuries 15 months before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic were included. For our analysis, we investigated the frequency of trauma patients after domestic violence in relation to all other trauma patients. Furthermore, age, sex, citizenship, injury pattern, injured body regions, injury mechanism, offender–victim relationship, and hospitalization rate were also analyzed. Results: Among all trauma patients admitted, the ratio of patients who reported domestic violence injuries increased from 0.465% to 0.548% since the start of the pandemic. In addition, out of the total count of domestic violence victims, the percentage of Austrian citizens increased significantly from 51.2% to 60.6% (p = 0.016). All other parameters showed no significant changes pre and post-pandemic. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a relative increase in patients with domestic violence injuries at the largest trauma unit in Austria, along with a significant increase among Austrian citizens. The remaining study parameters did not differ significantly, indicating that the frequency changed during the pandemic but not the underlying pattern of domestic violence.