Clinical Trial Details
— Status: Completed
Administrative data
NCT number |
NCT06135610 |
Other study ID # |
0001143 |
Secondary ID |
|
Status |
Completed |
Phase |
|
First received |
|
Last updated |
|
Start date |
March 1, 2019 |
Est. completion date |
February 1, 2021 |
Study information
Verified date |
November 2023 |
Source |
Kern Medical Center |
Contact |
n/a |
Is FDA regulated |
No |
Health authority |
|
Study type |
Observational
|
Clinical Trial Summary
Investigators report on the impact of the COVID-19 stay-at-home order concerning penetrating
violence and its association within different socioeconomic regions within the county. The
distribution and volume of violent offenses prior to the stay-at-home order was compared to
during the stay-at-home order. This bears a crucial significance in our injury prevention and
education efforts within our community.
Description:
Investigators hypothesized that the COVID-19 'Stay At Home" order contributed to an increase
in the incidence of violent traumatic injuries, particularly in areas with lower
socioeconomic status in Kern County, as measured by census data, which was previously shown
to be true in other areas of America. Investigators conducted a retrospective analysis of
injuries sustained before and during the pandemic and further explored the median income of
the area of injury to determine if socioeconomic status was a determinant of violent crime
incidence rates. This study aims to better understand the causality of the increase in crime,
further analyze the results, and identify trends in future public health crises.
This retrospective cross-sectional minimal risk study utilized the Kern Medical's trauma
registry to identify patients in Kern County who presented to the emergency department with a
gunshot wound (GSW), stab wound, or assault between March 2019 and February 2021. All
reported blunt injuries, motor vehicle incident-related injuries, suicide attempts, or
unintentional injuries were excluded. Each case was categorized as pre-COVID (March 2019 -
February 2020) or COVID (March 2020 - February 2021) and further subclassified based on the
incident zip code. Kern County zip codes were combined into urban regions as NW (zip
codes:93312, 93314), NE (93301, 93305, 93306, 93308), SW (93311, 93313), and SE (93304,
93307, 93309, 93241), with a separate category defined as rural (outside Bakersfield city
limits). These regions were also defined by median income as lower income (≤$50k: NW and SW)
and higher income (>$50k: NE, SE, Rural) based on California census data. This study was
approved by the Institutional Review board of Kern Medical Hospital.
Tabulated data were analyzed using odds ratios, chi-square tests of Independence, Woolf's
test for homogeneity of Odds Ratios, Fisher's exact test, and the Generalized
Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test. Regions were identified with median incomes of ≤$50k and >$50K
then were analyzed using a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test with an ad hoc analysis looking at
the occurrence of GSWs and stab wounds pre-COVID and during COVID. A Bonferroni p-value
adjustment was performed for all multiple comparison p-values. Additional demographic
variables were collected, including patient demographics, follow-up, and death, but they were
not included in these analyses.