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J Korean Soc Emerg Med > Volume 36(2); 2025 > Article
Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2025;36(2): 63-71.
코로나 팬데믹 시기 전후의 국내 개 물림 손상의 역학적 특성
김지헌1 , 손유동1 , 조규종1,2 , 조영석1,2
1강동성심병원 응급의학과
2한림대학교 의과대학 응급의학교실
The epidemiologic characteristics of dog-bite injury during COVID-19 pandemic in Korea
Ji Heon Kim1 , Youdong Sohn1 , Gyu Chong Cho1,2 , Youngsuk Cho1,2
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
2Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Correspondence  Youdong Sohn ,Tel: 02-2224-2828, Fax: 02-488-0119, Email: medysohn@kdh.or.kr,
Received: October 18, 2023; Revised: November 1, 2023   Accepted: November 4, 2023.  Published online: April 30, 2025.
ABSTRACT
Objective:
The frequency and severity of dog bite injuries were reported to increase during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study examined the status of dog bite injuries in Korea and the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method:
Patient information was obtained from in-depth research data on patients from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The general characteristics, the situation and location at the time of the dog bite injury, severity, and the means of transport to the emergency department (ED) were evaluated, and the excess mortality ratio-adjusted injury severity score was determined to evaluate the severity. The differences between the pre-COVID pandemic (2019) and post-COVID pandemic (2020) were compared, and subgroups by age were also analyzed.
Results:
Under the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients decreased in all age groups. In contrast, the severity, especially in the under-19-year-old group, showed a slight but significant increase. In addition, dog bite injuries occurred most frequently in the home, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion:
The severity of dog bites in those under the age of 19 was highest, which should be considered when setting more appropriate guidelines for the classification and treatment of dog-bite patients in an ED. Dog bite injuries occur most frequently during daily activity in the house. This tendency was further strengthened in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key words: Wounds and injuries; Dogs; Bites and stings; COVID-19
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