Factors Affecting Hospital Length of Stay in Trauma Patients Before and during the COVID‑19 Pandemic: A Regional Trauma Center in Iran

Hospitals are often as an important goal focus on length of stay (LOS) for controlling the cost of trauma care. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting hospital LOS in trauma patients before and during the COVID‑19 pandemic in a regional trauma center in Iran.

In this retrospective study, all trauma patients referred to Be’sat Hospital, the only regional trauma center in Hamadan, from 19 February to 20 November 2020 (during the COVID‑19) were compared to the same date in 2019 (before the COVID‑19). Data were collected using the recorded information in the Health Information Management Center of the Be’sat Hospital. Multivariate logistic regression was used to simultaneously evaluate the effect of covariates on LOS (≤3 days; >3 days) in two periods. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 24.0.

The mean values for LOS in trauma patients before and during the COVID‑19 were 3.9 and 3.2 days, respectively. Before the COVID‑19, the age of <18 years old (odds ratio [OR] = 1.59; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.33–1.92, P < 0.01), winter season (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 0.99–1.76, P = 0.04), and burn trauma (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.02–1.79, P = 0.03) were significant. During the COVID‑19, the age of <18 years old (OR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.04–1.90, P = 0.04), males (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.10–1.99, P = 0.01), burn trauma (OR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.15–2.73, P = 0.01), and history of hospitalization (OR = 1.77; 95% CI: 1.15–2.73, P = 0.01) were significant.

According to the results, before the COVID‑19, the factors such as age, season, and mechanism of trauma were predictors of LOS. Furthermore, age, sex, mechanism of trauma, and history of hospitalization were factors that affected LOS in trauma patients during the COVID‑19. Thus, this study may be helpful in improving the discharge planning in trauma patients.