Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37699632›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open2023

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ambulance transports for self-harm: a population-based study in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

Shunichiro Nakao, Yusuke Katayama, Tetsuhisa Kitamura, Kenta Tanaka, Tomoya Hirose, Jotaro Tachino, Taku Iwami, Jun Masui, Hisaya Domi, Takeshi Shimazu and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 38% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Shunichiro NakaoDepartment of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan shunichironakao@hp-emerg.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.ORCID 0000-0001-5530-806X
Yusuke KatayamaDepartment of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.ORCID 0000-0003-2585-4259
Tetsuhisa KitamuraThe Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
Kenta TanakaThe Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
Tomoya HiroseDepartment of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Jotaro TachinoDepartment of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Taku IwamiThe Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
Jun MasuiThe Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
Hisaya DomiThe Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
Takeshi ShimazuOsaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
Jun OdaDepartment of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Faculty of Medicine Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Tetsuya MatsuokaThe Working Group to Analyze the Emergency Medical Care System in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan.
The University of Osaka · JPKyoto University · JPOsaka Prefectural Medical Center · JPTane General Hospital · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic might have affected emergency medical services transports for self-harm in Japan. However, the available data are insufficient to fully understand the pandemic's impact on ambulance transports due to self-harm. This study aimed to investigate the change in the incidence of ambulance transports for self-harm from 2018 to 2021 and to identify vulnerable age groups during the pandemic.

designA population-based observational study using a database from the Osaka Prefectural Government.

settingThe database covers the entire area of Osaka Prefecture and included information on ambulance transports and hospital details.

participantsAmbulance transport of patients due to self-harm from 2018 through 2021 was investigated. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the incidence of ambulance transport for self-harm.

resultsWe analysed 10 843 patients. Their median age was 38 years, and 69.0% were female. We observed an increasing trend of the incidence rate in cases per 100 000 population per year from 29.4 in 2018 to 31.2 in 2021. However, after adjusting for age group, sex and month, there was no difference in the incidence of ambulance transport due to self-harm in 2019 (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 1.007; 95% CI 0.955 to 1.063), 2020 (aIRR 1.041; 95% CI 0.987 to 1.098) and 2021 (aIRR 1.022; 95% CI 0.968 to 1.078), compared with 2018. We observed no difference in 21-day mortality from 2018 through 2021. In the age group of 20-29 years, despite no difference in 2019 compared with 2018, we found an 11.7% increase in the incidence of ambulance transport due to self-harm in 2020 (aIRR 1.117; 95% CI 1.002 to 1.245) and no difference in 2021.

conclusionsThere was no difference in the incidence of ambulance transport due to self-harm and 21-day mortality from 2018 through 2021. However, the incidence rate of ambulance transport due to self-harm in 2020 increased in the age group of 20-29 years.

Indexed as

COVID-19Self-Injurious BehaviorAdultAmbulancesFemaleHumansJapanMalePandemicsPhenolsThiazolesYoung AdultCI 987PhenolsThiazolesACCIDENT & EMERGENCY MEDICINECOVID-19MENTAL HEALTHSuicide & self-harm

Identifiers

PMID37699632
PMCPMC10503339
OpenAlexW4386648222

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.