Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: Dec 26, 2024
Date Accepted: Jun 8, 2025
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Elevated Risk of Accidental Injuries in SARS Survivors and Their Relatives: Insights Relevant to the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan
ABSTRACT
Background:
The 2003 SARS outbreak led to both acute health impacts and lasting effects on survivors and their families.
Objective:
Study investigates the increased risk of accidental and intentional injuries among SARS survivors and their relatives, with implications for future pandemics, including COVID-19.
Methods:
This retrospective cohort study utilized data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, focused on 285 individuals diagnosed with SARS in 2003 and 699 of their relatives, matched in a 1:10 ratio with controls. Injury risks were assessed using Fine and Gray’s competing risk models, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical covariates, over a follow-up period of up to 15 years.
Results:
SARS survivors had a higher risk of accidental injuries (AHR = 1.631, 95% CI: 1.184–2.011, p < 0.001), as did their relatives (AHR = 1.572, 95% CI: 1.148–1.927, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed elevated risks of poisoning and falls among survivors, while relatives had higher risks of traffic accidents, poisoning, medical incidents, falls, and crushing injuries.
Conclusions:
SARS survivors and relatives face increased injury risks, highlighting long-term physical and psychosocial vulnerabilities after severe infectious outbreaks. These findings suggest healthcare systems should provide preventive and supportive measures to mitigate long-term impacts for those affected by pandemics.
Citation
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Copyright
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