Relationship between GPS-based community mobility data and orthopedic trauma admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria: amulticenter analysis.

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between mobility patterns during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and orthopedic trauma patients in Austria. Utilizing global positioning system (GPS)-based mobility data, the attempt was to assess both the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on reducing orthopedic trauma patients and the degree of compliance to the imposed movement restrictions. This retrospective analysis included all patients (283,501) treated at 3 major levelI trauma centers in Austria. Analyzed time periods were 1 January 2019 to 8 February 2021. Freely available GPS-based mobility data from Google and Apple Inc. was gathered. Amoderate to strong correlation between the cumulative average outpatients and the assessed mobility index was observed for all cities (Google: r = 0.70 p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.67-0.73; Apple: r = 0.64 p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.61-0.67). Asignificant linear regression equation was found for Vienna (adjusted r2 = 0.48; F(1, 350) = 328,05; p < 0.01). During the first lockdown there was adrastic decline in mobility (up to -75.36%) and in numbers of orthopedic trauma outpatients (up to -64%, from 153 patients/day 2019 to 55patients/day 2020) in comparison to the prepandemic era. The decline diminished as time passed. Analyses of GPS-based mobility patterns show acorrelation with trauma patient numbers. These findings can be used to develop prediction models, leading to better resource planning and public health policy, enhancing patient care and cost-effectiveness, especially in the event of future pandemics. Furthermore, the results suggest that compliance to mobility restrictions decreased over time during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in increased mobility and trauma patients.