Did physical aggression in women increase during the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic? A perspective of facial trauma

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to assess whether there was an increase in physical aggression in women treated in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, through the mandatory quarantine. Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study were collected and analyzed, from March 1 to December 31, 2020. Additionally, data from the same period the previous year were collected for comparison. Results: Of the etiologies reviewed for 2020, physical aggression had the highest percentage increase (+ 4.9%) and was the only etiology that showed a significant difference (p = 0.045). The mean age of the included patients was 34.05 years in 2019 and 33.97 in 2020, and most of the women had facial fractures, with nasal fractures being the most frequent, followed by jaw fractures. There was a significant increase (p = 0.34) in the conservative treatment of fractures from 2019 (48.6%) to 2020 (71.7%) and a minor (p = 0.088) increase in aggression toward intimate partners (2019, 40.9%; 2020, 63.9%). Conclusion: Physical aggression against women increased during the period of mandatory social isolation that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Health professionals, including emergency services professionals, must be trained to identify victims and refer them to specialized care.