Head injuries nearly doubled after alcohol sales resumed post-COVID-19 restrictions: NIMHANS study

Study showed that cases of head injuries had decreased substantially during lockdown

A study by a team of doctors from NIMHANS has found that head injuries decreased substantially during the COVID-19 lockdown, a period that saw a decrease in traffic volume, prohibition of alcohol sales and strict surveillance by the police. 

There was a marked spike in cases of head injuries on the very day alcohol sales resumed in the State. Within 24 hours of lifting the ban on alcohol sales, there were more than 50 cases of head injury, almost double the number seen during the lockdown period.

The study titled ‘Traumatic brain injury during COVID-19 pandemic — time-series analysis of a natural experiment’ was published in British Medical Journal Open (BMJ Open) earlier this month. 

Lekhansh Shukla, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Addiction Medicine (CAM) at NIMHANS who is the corresponding author of the study, told The Hindu that the study aimed at finding out if the incidence and pattern of traumatic brain injury (TBI) changed during the pandemic. 

This study, jointly done by researchers from the Department of Neurosurgery and CAM, covered data from December 1, 2019, to January 3, 2021, a total of 400 days including all lockdowns.

“Our findings showed that people complied with safety regulations like helmets/seatbelts more during the lockdown, probably because of stricter policing,” he said.

B. Indira Devi, senior professor, Department of Neurosurgery, and Dean, Neurosciences, at the hospital, who is one of the lead authors, said head injury is a leading cause of death and life-long disability. “India contributes approximately a quarter of trauma-related fatalities and head injuries globally. Road traffic accidents are the most common cause of head injury. Overspeeding, not wearing helmets/seat belts, and drunk driving are some risk factors for traffic accidents,” she said.